


Building Trust

by AltairK



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Cat Grant Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Cat and Kara POV, Cat loves paintball, End of season one, F/F, Fluff, Humor, Pre-Relationship, Slow Build, Team Bonding, learning to trust each other, supercat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2018-07-28 22:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 60,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7659688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltairK/pseuds/AltairK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cat is forced to take her staff away on a Team Building weekend, giving her and Kara an unexpected chance to bond. When the weekend takes a turn for the worse, will Kara be prepared to trust Cat with everything? Will she be ready to reveal all? And will Cat trust Kara when things change?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What are they compensating for?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm British and so all my grammar and spelling is British as well. Hopefully this won't bother all the American readers too much.
> 
> Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction and CBS, CW, DC Comics and Supergirl and all the characters are not mine.

Cat stared at the email again and sighed.

Leaning back in her designer chair, she removed her glasses and ran a hand through her hair. Her Pilates coach, Christie, had done her best that morning, but already she felt the tension returning again to her shoulders, and she rolled her neck to try to ease the ache. There was just no avoiding it any longer – she had to face this.

Still glaring at the accusing picture and text on her screen, she sat up and took a deep breath: “KEI-!”

“Ms Grant! Is everything ok?” Kara was already hurrying in to her office, a concerned expression on her face.

Cat frowned slightly. She was sure she knew how Kara managed to arrive before she’d even finished calling for her, but clearly Kara wasn’t ready to share this with her yet. Leaning back in her chair, she gestured at the screen: “Keira, today I’ve been bombarded by emails from our Board Secretary, asking what I’m going to do to improve morale in the office. It seems that Dave’s threatened legal action over his relocation has made them a bit twitchy about ‘maintaining a healthy working environment.’”

“Well,” Kara grimaced, “Dave may have had a point that it was a tiny bit unfair to move him to another floor just because his hair was the same colour as the new paint scheme in the bathrooms...”

“Oh please,” Cat waved her into silence, “He’ll fit right in on the blue floor with the Tech writers. Their nocturnal habits will go well with his sunlight-hating nature.”

“Um, well, I guess he’ll adjust,” Kara mumbled uncertainly.

“Anyway,” Cat continued as if Kara hadn’t spoken, “the Board would like to avoid any further revenge-driven ex-employees, and despite my repeated reassurance that productivity is up and sick leave is down, they’ve insisted that I be seen to do something to build up trust amongst my delicate little workers.”

“Oh!” Kara brightened noticeably at that, and started tapping on her tablet screen, “I’m sure I heard recently of a firm who were offering to come and do some group work and trust-building exercises with companies. They only take an afternoon and just need a large conference room with space to set up some exercises. You know the sort of thing – catching people falling from chairs, leading people around obstacles blindfolded... they reported a 12% increase in-"

“Yes, yes, Keira,” Cat cut in, “That all sounds splendidly warm and fuzzy, and no doubt you’d be very good at catching people.” She watched as Kara fidgeted with her glasses at that comment. “But that’s just not a grand enough gesture to satisfy the Board. And to top it off, Lois Lane has somehow gotten wind of this and she’s sent me this -” and Cat turned the screen round for Kara to see.

Her conservatively dressed assistant made a show of leaning in to see properly. There, smiling proudly, was Lois Lane herself, clad in what looked like a short blue and grey wetsuit and orange life jacket. She seemed to be having the time of her life in the bright yellow kayak she was seated in. Whoever framed the shot had done a fantastic job, as the sunlight glinted off the still lake waters and a hint of the forested shoreline was just visible off to one side. Behind Lois was a grinning group of men and women, all similarly clad in wetsuits and life jackets, but arrayed on a large wooden raft.

“That’s a good photo...” Kara began.

“Look at her!” Cat fumed, “Waving that oar like a trophy. And surely she knows that that wetsuit is doing her no favours, just holding in some of the flaws we all know are there!”

Kara wasn’t so sure. Lois certainly looked good in that wetsuit. “They all look very happy, Ms Grant,” she ventured.

“Why would anyone be happy sitting in a wet canoe with, with, with slime in your hair and wearing a generic one-size-fits-no-one wetsuit?” Cat ranted. “Hurray for them, successfully tying together some bits of wood and managing to not drown.”

Kara leaned in more to read what Lois had written underneath the photo, and as she leaned closer Cat hoped her assistant thought her elevated heart rate, which she could no doubt hear, was due to anger, not anything else.

_Cat,_

_Heard about your little difficulties there, and thought this might boost your morale._  
_Maybe CatCo isn’t so purrfect after all. Plenty of room for Dave in our new Daily Planet Tower._

_Here’s our Columnist and Senior Editorial Team at our Annual Daily Planet Team Building Weekend, where we set the record for fastest raft, beating the previous record set by the Obamas in 2012._

_Afraid of getting your paws wet?_  
_-Lois_

Cat watched as Kara frowned as she reached the end of the email. Kara was a gentle soul but she’d seen how fiercely protective she could be of her boss and CatCo in general.

“Well!” Kara huffed, straightening up, “I always thought their new Tower was frankly bigger than necessary, and actually I heard they were having difficulty finding a firm to lease out some of the middle floors. Also the designer failed to take into account the wind tunnel effect caused by the angle of the south side and the neighbouring block, which causes all sorts of problems in bad weather, and Cl- I mean, Superman, said the turbulence it created made one pregnant lady he was carrying to hospital airsick...” Kara shuddered, remembering Clark’s graphic description of that particular encounter.

Cat smiled, “Keira, much as I appreciate your support – the issue isn’t the design of our Tower – clearly the Daily Planet is just compensating for something – but with how we’re going to show Loi – show the Board that they have nothing to worry about. You must hear a lot of gossip when you’re standing around that germ-filled vessel you call a water cooler. What do people say about working here?”

Kara shuffled her feet slightly and fidgeted with her glasses again, a sure sign that she was uncomfortable. “I don’t know, Ms Grant, people say a lot of things they don’t mean. I’m sure Dave will come round and I know Toby didn’t mean it when he said he needed time off to see his therapist...” She trailed off, looking at Cat’s stern expression. “Surely the most important thing is that we’re making a difference here! We report honest news and, and give people hope and - ”

“Kiera,” Cat stopped her mid-ramble. “As much as I think you Millennials are a soft touch, and if I wasn’t so politically correct I’d say you all need to grow a pair, it could be that the Board are on to something. We are more than a media conglomerate at CatCo. We are a family. And as nauseating as most families are, we can at least try to create an environment where you all feel free to reach the full extent of your emotionally-stunted potential.” Cat stood and began pacing behind her desk, waving her glasses to punctuate her words. “I want you to look into this. Find us a venue that’s better than any soggy tree-hugging lake the Daily Planet might have used. And book a weekend for all the Tribune and News staff – make it compulsory attendance. They can come and learn to be happy together whether they like it or not.”

She was gratified to see that Kara immediately began tapping away again at her tablet. “Of course, Ms Grant,” she replied and smiled, “I’ll get on to it right away.”

As she hurried out of the office, Cat sat down and glared at Lois in the ridiculous canoe again.

“This had better be worth it,” she muttered.


	2. Mud pack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kara narrows in on the perfect venue with a little help from Winn.
> 
> Remember: I'm British and so is my grammar.

Kara pushed her glasses up her nose again and sighed as she stared down at her tablet. Calvin’s Farm had been the fourth so-called “trust-building enterprise” she’d checked out in as many days. She tuned out the noise of the office around her as she remembered her visit there the previous evening with Winn.

\---

“Look, I told you that any company listing mud as one of the main features of their enterprise is just not going to be the one for us!” Winn yelled, trying and failing to wipe clean his sticky fingers on his equally mud-caked jeans.

“Well, I’m sorry!” Kara yelled back over the noise of the wind rushing past them. “How was I supposed to know that their idea of team bonding would involve literal mud wrestling to help us ‘better understand the slippery inner workings of each others’ minds!’”

“Kara!” Winn yelped and tried not to look down as she shifted her grip of him. “Please don’t do air quotes while you’re carrying me!” He swallowed. “Why did we have to fly? Couldn’t we have, I don’t know, driven like normal people? It’s less than an hour by good old fashioned, flat, level, road and not that I don’t appreciate the chance to travel like this it’s just, y’know,” he pulled at his collar with the arm not tucked underneath Kara’s blue-clad arm, “I feel a little exposed here and it’s great you trust me not to freak out and I would never freak out that’s not a thing I would do, ever, no, and I totally trust you and I think I’ve proven that we don’t need any more trust building here with us and-hwah! Don’t do that!”

Kara gently gripped Winn’s waist a little more firmly and tried to look apologetic whilst also steering them back towards National City as quickly as safely possible for her human friend. “Sorry, Winn. You know I’d never drop you. And... hey, even if I did I’d catch you again before you even noticed.” Winn smiled weakly at that. “I’ll stop fidgeting. This is nice!” she continued, and looked across at Winn again as National City appeared on the horizon. “Why haven’t we been flying before? I’d take all of you if you asked, you know.”

Winn tried to forget how high up he was for the moment, and also how warm his best friend’s arm felt around him, and looked over at the city silhouetted against the sun low on the horizon. “It always felt so... personal,” he said after a moment. “Asking you to do something like that, I mean. I guess I thought you’d offer it if you wanted to share.”

This time it was Kara who was quiet for a while. As she watched the sun beginning to set the orange glow reminded her, as it always did, of Krypton and her very different life there. After a moment, she replied, “You’re right. I’m sorry. I could say it’s because I worry that I’m a target when I’m up here like this, that I don’t want any of you to get hurt... and that’s all true. But really, it’s more than that. Just flying for the sake of it is such a joy for me that I want all of you to know what it’s like. It’s so quiet and peaceful and _beautiful_.”

“And cold,” Winn joked, shivering slightly.

“Sorry. If you weren’t so wet it wouldn’t be so bad you know,” Kara laughed.

“Hey, no one could have predicted that we’d have to try before we buy and it was very slippery in that field. And Mr Calvin is-“

“A total jerk,” Kara finished for him, her eyes narrowing. They’d reached the city suburbs now and Kara took them a little higher so they could hover safely without anyone spotting Winn. Her friend gripped her arm a little tighter as he felt them rise but didn’t say anything. “What I’m trying to say,” she continued, “Is that this is really personal for me. No,” she shushed Winn before he could say anything and hugged him a little more tightly from behind, “I know it’s super personal for you too, being like this, and I don’t think I could have taken you before... before we reached our understanding. You’re my best friend and I know I can trust you with anything.”

She felt Winn shift slightly at those words and knew that whilst they were best friends, he still wasn’t totally happy with that. But they were worlds away from where they’d been right after that whole kiss incident.

Kara rotated them slowly in the air to give Winn a 360° view. Her cape snapped around them in the winds as she did so. “What do you think about being up here?” she asked him. “Not about being cold, or high, or nervous: what do you really think?”

She pivoted them back towards the city, where the lights of the CatCo tower could just be seen peeking through the forest of skyscrapers in the fast-approaching twilight, as she waited for him to reply. Finally Winn said, “It’s breathtaking: literally and figuratively. Never in a million years did I imagine that I could be up here, like this, seeing all this, and all so... so... effortlessly. On your part anyway. It’s so far removed from my life as I knew it just a few short months ago.” He craned his head around to look at Kara and added, “Thank you.”

Kara smiled back. “And that’s why,” she said.

“What?”

“Why I haven’t brought you before now.”

“Kara, that makes zero sense-”

“It’s because this is about as far away from normal as you can get,” Kara finished, and Winn went quiet again, taking in the view and what Kara had said. She very slowly allowed them to begin drifting back towards the CatCo alleyway that they’d originally taken off from as she carried on. “I spent the best part of 12 years trying to learn how to be normal here, how to fit in. This,” and she gestured vaguely to the air around them, “Flying about freely and not hiding, not worrying about being seen, is still all pretty new to me. And for a long time I couldn’t shake the fear that if I shared this with you guys not because I had to save you from something but because I just _wanted_ to, that you’d look at me differently. That you’d stop seeing me, Kara, and only see Supergirl. That you’d just see the bulletproof girl who can fly, who can throw cars, and shoot lasers – hah, sorry Clark, ‘heat rays’ – from my eyes.”

“Kara,” Winn said quietly, “You are all those things. You are that girl. And you’re also Kara the Wonder-Assistant who somehow, despite X-ray vision, manages to trip over everything in the office and also has somehow managed to _not be fired by Cat Grant – Cat Grant!_ – after nearly three years. Now that’s a superhero right there.”

Kara laughed softly as she checked to make sure no one was around before taking them in to land. She was shifting her grip on Winn again as she prepared to land when, “Gah!” A flurry of wings startled her and she almost released Winn in her shock, who emitted a strangled squawk and gripped her arm convulsively.

“Sorry,” Kara laughed nervously as she set them down gently in the alley next to a dumpster, “That pigeon came out of nowhere. Anyway, we were pretty close to the ground then, you’d have been-” she caught a glimpse of Winn’s face and hurriedly added, “Joke. That was a joke, honestly, I would never have dropped you.”

“Heh, I know that really. I’m just not used to being carried,” Winn remarked as he leaned against the wall for a moment, waiting for his heart to slow down again.  Kara disappeared for a moment behind the dumpster, reappearing dressed in her blouse and pants, adjusting her glasses, the supersuit bundled up into the satchel she slung over her shoulder. “Kara the Wonder-Assistant,” she mused. “Tell that to Cat.”

“Listen to me Kara,” Winn straightened up and gently grasped her wrist. “That was amazing and I’m so glad you took me. But this:” and he gestured at Kara, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Sure you can do amazing things as Supergirl but you’re amazing like this too. All these things are just part of you and I won’t forget that simply because you showed me a sunset. Thank you for trusting me.”

“Thanks for being so great Winn,” Kara relaxed again, smiling, “I knew you’d understand. I’ve not told anyone else that before.” She tried to brush a bit of mud from his sleeve and only succeeded in spreading it onto herself. “Speaking of amazing,” she said, and pulled her glasses down, “I’ve been working on this. Hold still...”

“No, Kara, wait-!” Winn cringed and closed his eyes as Kara focused her heat vision on him. She allowed her eyes to relax in the way she’d learned recently and a gentle, diffused wave of heat washed up and down his body. When Kara stepped back, Winn opened his eyes again and was relieved to see he still had all his body parts and was in fact quite toasty now.

“Well, that was pretty cool, thanks, but...” he shifted uncomfortably, “I’m not sure this mud’s ever coming out now. I’m like a giant mud bake.”

“Oh, Winn, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think about that. I’ll buy you a new outfit. Thanks for letting me try that.”

“I’m not sure I actually let – you’re, you’re welcome Kara. Don’t worry about my outfit. I’m pretty sure Cat won’t miss this cardigan. And I’ve got plenty more. Hey,” and he grinned at Kara, “Thanks for taking me with you. Mr Calvin sure wasn’t expecting to be faceplanted into his own field by the blond girl he tried to hit on. Hearing that splat was worth a cardigan any day! Where did you learn that throw? Alex?”

Kara scowled but then laughed, “Maybe if he hadn’t been so handsy he wouldn’t have ended up there. Can you imagine if he’d tried that with Lucy? Or Cat?! He’d have been lucky to escape prison never mind a lawsuit.” Then she groaned again and raised her hands in frustration, “I guess it’s back to the search then. Cat said she wanted this arranged by the end of this week. Say, do you want a lift home?”

“No, it’s fine,” Winn reassured her. “It’s only a short walk to my block from here. I’m sure you need to go and get on with the search again. Erm, maybe take James to the next one? I’m not sure I have enough cardigans to keep doing this,” he laughed weakly.

“I’m so sorry-“

“No, it’s fine, I told you. But seriously, James might appreciate it.”

“Yeah,” Kara smiled, remembering their trip to Clark’s Fortress. “Maybe he can come to the next one,” she sighed, “When I find it.”

They turned and began walking out of the alley together. “So... who else would you like to take flying? Have you taken Alex?” Winn asked.

“Alex? Oh sure, we’ve been plenty of times.” Kara grinned, “Got in a lot of trouble more than once for that.”

“Anyone else?” Winn asked as they turned the corner. “How about Lucy? Or,” and he started spluttering with laughter, “Cat?”

“What?” Kara turned rapidly and stared at her friend in shock. “Cat!? What – I, I mean, no! Of course not, why would she want to fly – I,”

Winn’s eyes widened and he waved his hands at her as she babbled, “Kara!”

“Why would I want to take-“

“ _What_ hovel have you crawled out of now, Whitt? And Kiera, where were you? My Oolong tea doesn’t prepare itself you know.”

Kara spun around in shock at hearing the woman herself berating them. How was it that even with superhearing her boss could still sneak up on her like that? “Ms, Ms Grant,” she stuttered,” We were just researching venues for the teambuilding weekend like you asked and Winn-”

“Save whatever transparent excuses you were going to use for another day,” Cat interrupted her and flipped a hand towards Winn, “Go on back to your little hobbit hole and clean up.” She wrinkled her nose at his appearance and turned towards Kara. “I hope you’re not expecting us to all finish up looking like _that_ after the weekend? Hm?”

Kara flinched back from the intense hazel eyes of her boss, “No! No, no, there’ll be a lot less mud, like no mud at all, and – “  


“I expect you to have found us the perfect place by the end of tomorrow, Kara. Somewhere we can all be cosy and think warm thoughts of one another without any chance of breaking a nail. Or a sweat. Do you think that’s possible?” Cat tilted her head to one side as she contemplated her suddenly nervous assistant.

“No... sweat. No sweat! Yes, I’ll get on it, I mean, I _am_ on it. I’ve literally spent the last three days on this, that is-“

“Chop chop, Keira. End of tomorrow.” And Cat strode purposefully towards her waiting car and driver, always managing to look so in control of everything, and leaving Kara looking hopelessly at Winn.

\---

“Keira!” The unmistakeable voice of Cat Grant pulled Kara out of her reverie and she trotted quickly towards her boss’s office, clutching the tablet. “Yes, Ms Grant?” she called, “Is everything alright with your latte?”

Cat was pacing behind her desk, looking slightly flustered. She began stalking towards her assistant as soon as she entered, who in turn began backing away. “What,” Cat started, “Am I going to tell the Board at the end of today, hm? Where are we going? Have you seen the article in the _National Star_? ‘Claws out at CatCo?’ I’ll give them claws!” Kara jumped as Cat thumped the desk for emphasis.

“Just who has been talking to them? Whoever that unnamed source was who told them they feel tense working here I want them found and fired instantly. Tense! Of course it’s tense, we deal with a 24 hour news world and even though we might want to work 9 to 5 the news doesn’t work like that!”

“Ms Grant,” Kara tried to placate her boss. Even for her this was an unusually public display of anger. “Has something happened? I promise I’ll have fixed up somewhere by the end of today, like we agreed,” she added pointedly, and Cat’s eyes darted to hers at that, making Kara lick her lips nervously. Finally Cat took a step back and sighed. She moved over to her sofa and sat down, gesturing for Kara to join her.

“Keira. This company is my life. I’ve poured everything I have, all I am and more, into this and I thought I’d achieved a happy medium for my employees somewhere inbetween running around scared witless and complete job satisfaction. I need the news team to be on their toes, constantly sharp. But I also need them to be... ugh,” and Cat waved her arms, somehow gesturing at the whole office outside her glass walls. “I need them to be content, in their own little ways; to be ready and willing to drop anything at a moment’s notice in pursuit of a story. And they won’t do that unless they are as enthusiastic about CatCo as I am. Which means they must be... happy.” Cat looked less than happy as she spat the word out.

“I’m not into coddling, but I need this workforce to be as efficient as possible and we can’t weather any more negative stories like this one from the _Star_ before people begin to mutter about jumping ship. I won’t have that. So,” And Cat startled Kara by standing up suddenly, and she hurried to do the same. “Find me somewhere better than that ridiculously photogenic lake the _Planet_ are so fond of. Somewhere that’s serious about building teams. And arrange it for next weekend.”

“Next - but, Ms Grant, people might have plans-”

“No time like the present, Keira. Go.” And with one wave of a beautifully manicured hand, Kara was dismissed.

“Yes, Ms Grant.” Kara turned and hurried back to her desk, already skimming down the list on her tablet until she found the one entry she’d dismissed earlier on grounds of it being more expensive.

“Somewhere serious about building teams...” she muttered, and smiled as she found the one she’d been looking for. “Carraway Forest. Let’s see what they can do...” and she reached for the phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your encouragement and comments. Next chapter will see the start of the weekend itself along with a few surprises for Cat...


	3. Paintball Wizard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cat and the team make their way towards Carraway Forest, but the journey takes a little longer than planned...

Cat closed her laptop, stood up and strode over to the bar at the far side of her office. She paused for a moment, looking between the decanter of M&Ms and the decanter of her favourite bourbon, before settling on the bourbon. It was after 6pm, after all, and the office outside her glass walls was beginning to empty as her employees scurried off, probably to take advantage of the Thursday Happy Hour at Noonan’s. Or possibly they wanted to go and pack their most revealing outfits, ready for a weekend of enforced closeness with their colleagues.

She poured a decent measure into her glass and made her way over to the balcony, glancing across at her assistant’s desk as she did so. Kara had left about 20 minutes ago, supposedly to pick up a delivery for her, and Cat had wondered, as always, whether she was telling the whole truth. She leaned on the balcony wall and took a sip of her drink as she gazed out across the city, still bathed in the early Spring sunshine. A flash of red and blue in the distance caught her eye and Cat’s mouth turned up slightly as she considered that perhaps her assistant would be back soon after all.

As she took another sip she wondered what the superhero had been up to this time, and whether one of her photographers had managed to capture it. She had to admit it, James Olsen and his team had managed some superb shots over the last few weeks. That last one of Supergirl lifting the bus to safety away from the sinkhole that had suddenly opened up in the road in front of it had been really something. It took great skill to immortalise the play of the wind in the hero’s hair, the strand that had caught across her face as she smiled gently, relieved that she’d made it there in time, muscles tensing as she gently balanced the bus and its occupants on her shoulders, so powerful and beautiful and –

She clamped down on that thought immediately. She couldn’t allow herself to think that way.

Cat had known for quite some time now that Kara was Supergirl. That doppelganger had confounded her for a while, but really that incident the other week with that ridiculously self-styled “Flash” had only served to finally fully convince her. Really, what were the odds that a brand new superhero would show up, partner with Supergirl, and at the same time happen to make friends with her humble assistant? She wasn’t totally without brains. Kara kept on denying it to her, or at least avoided talking about it with her, but Cat couldn’t help but wonder, recently, whether Kara herself knew on some level that _she_ knew... but she couldn’t be sure.

A clatter of heels and a soft cough behind her brought her attention back to the here and now, and Cat kept her expression perfectly schooled as she turned to face the very woman she’d just been thinking about.

“Ms Grant!” Kara smiled nervously at her. Honestly, shouldn’t the girl have learned how to be more self-assured by now? Maybe she used up her quota of confidence when she was wearing the cape. “I picked this up for you, Special Delivery.” Cat noticed now that her assistant was clutching a large box wrapped in brown paper. She placed her drink down on the table as Kara continued, fidgeting with her glasses in that annoyingly endearing way she had. “I hope you don’t mind, but Carter sent me a message. He did some research into Carraway Forest,” Cat looked blank. “Where we’re all going tomorrow,” Kara reminded her, and Cat rolled her eyes in acknowledgement. “Well, Carter said he saw some of the activities that were listed and he thought you might want this...” And Kara passed the parcel over to her boss.

Cat took the box from her and found it was surprisingly heavy. She noted Carter’s careful handwriting on the front: “Mom: OPEN IMMEDIATELY and take point. Love Carter X”

 _“Take point...”_ Cat’s heart sped up as she realised what Carter meant and what must be in the box. Throwing her normal office aloofness to the wind she plonked the box down on the nearest table and began ripping off the paper, to Kara’s general astonishment. Pulling off the lid of the box within, Cat grinned, her eyes a little wild as she took stock of the contents. Gently, almost reverently, she lifted out her pride and joy which had been carefully packaged inside.

She had to laugh at how Kara’s hands came up reflexively as she pointed the gun at her assistant and sighted along the barrel. “Ms Grant!” she gasped, but Cat cut her off. “Oh Keira, don’t get so excited. _This_ ,” she said proudly, “Is the Shadow M4, the best paintball gun, well, rifle, really, available on the market.” She lowered the gun and ran her hands lovingly over it, checking ever inch for scratches or defects. “Oh, there might be more expensive guns out there, but this is the best. Perfectly balanced, fully integrated digital display, lightweight, precision scope... Oh yes, the best by far and mine for the last 3 years.” She turned suddenly back to her assistant, who was by now looking bemused rather than alarmed, and Cat didn’t care that she was, for once, letting her emotion show through in her voice. “Kara!” she gushed, and in her excitement the correct name slipped out, something which hadn’t gone un-noticed if her assistant’s suddenly wide eyes were any indication, but again she didn’t care. “You didn’t tell me there would be paintballing at our little enforced excursion!”

“Why, yes, yes there is!” Kara recovered sufficiently from the initial shock of her boss pointing a weapon at her and rallied magnificently. “Ms Grant, I did give you the breakdown of what the weekend would involve; at least,” she muttered, “as much detail as they would give me. I’m fairly sure I’d included paintballing in the document. In fact, the weekend begins with a paintball match...” she trailed off as Cat’s attention was no longer on her but back on the beautiful item in her hands. “Mm,” Cat hummed and waved one hand in Kara’s general direction. “I knew I could rely on you to sort all the detail. I obviously don’t have the time to read every single scrap of paper you thrust in my direction. That’s what I pay you for.”

Kara started to grin – she so rarely saw Cat so enthusiastic about anything except headlines and it was pretty endearing. “Why Ms Grant,” she began, “I didn’t know you were such a fan! I have to say I’m a little surprised – I actually thought you were against guns of all types -”

“ _This_ isn’t a gun, Kiera,” Cat interjected, and Kara noted the return of her false name. “ _This_ is a tool.” The CEO paused and looked up at her assistant, wondering how much to share with her. She carefully placed the Shadow M4 back in its box and leaned back against the table as she looked out across the city again. “About four years ago, Carter was invited to join some of his classmates in a paintball tournament. At the time, Carter was... not the most popular boy in the class. Exceptional children like him always stand out.” Out of the corner of her eye, Cat saw Kara nod slightly at her words, and was grateful to her for understanding without further explanation. “Carter wanted to visit the site beforehand so he could feel safe there, and on a whim I decided we would go and try out a game together. The equipment was shocking, naturally, and you were lucky if one in every ten paintballs hit its mark, but Carter’s face lit up as he realised that strategy was the key to success and that here was something finally that he could be good at. The school tournament came and went and Carter, whilst he didn’t win, did lead his team into the final round which earned him no end of respect from his classmates.”

Now Cat turned and looked again at Kara, her face lit up at the memory of that time with her son. “After that, the paintball sessions became a monthly ritual. I helped him with his aim and he helped me to strategise. Now we compete as a pair under false identities in tournaments every summer.”

“Wait a moment,” Kara’s grin couldn’t get any wider. “Are you telling me you have a secret identity?!”

“Well, yes, _Keira_ ,” Cat snapped, waving her hands. “I couldn’t very well enter as Cat Grant, Queen of all Media, could I? The press would have a field day! And that would put an end to our mother and son days. And anyway,” her expression hardened suddenly and Kara’s mouth snapped shut. “I would think you of all people would understand how important it is to get away from the weight of expectation sometimes. And our mirrored masks are a much more effective disguise than a simple change of hairstyle and fashion accessories.”

“I don’t know what, well, sure, I... ahem. What I meant to say, Ms Grant,” Kara said when she finished spluttering, “Is that I’m very impressed by your ingenuity and I’m sure this weekend will surpass your expectations. The proprietor has been very helpful. I’ll leave you to enjoy your delivery.”

“Wait a moment.” Cat put out a hand to stop Kara as she turned to go. “Just how did Carter get this delivery here? I’m certain his father wouldn’t have allowed him to order a courier.” She watched as Kara’s face turned red. “Ah, he, er, after he spoke with me he got in touch with Supergirl via Winn – he still has his IM address after that time they played games together in- I mean, when Winn looked after him, to ask whether she’d mind taking it over. You know, if she was passing by. Supergirl was in the neighbourhood and thought it wouldn’t be too much bother too-”

“Never mind, Kara,” Cat interrupted the stream of consciousness, putting one hand over her face in exasperation at the continued dancing around the truth. “I’m sure it was handy that she happened to be passing, wasn’t it?”

Kara just squeaked slightly, not trusting herself to reply, and Cat dismissed her with a wave.

As her assistant scampered away she looked back at the box she’d delivered and smiled. Suddenly this weekend didn’t seem so bad after all.

\---

The next day seemed to fly by and before she knew it Kara was standing outside CatCo Plaza ticking items off on her final checklist. Cat had, naturally, announced that she’d be driving herself to Carraway Forest Park, muttering something about “wheeled plague ships”, and a few other staff were also making their own way there, but most had elected to take advantage of the bus Kara had arranged at CatCo’s expense. Everyone had made their way down ready for their scheduled departure, and she’d been pleasantly surprised by how well everyone had taken this enforced get-together at such short notice.

“Hey! That’s _my_ bag you’ve just dumped on the floor. I’ll have you know that’s a genuine Louis Vuitton! Get your hands off it!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I hadn’t realised your _suitcase_ needed a seat all to itself. Where am I supposed to sit?”

“There’s plenty of space on the steps at the front next to the driver. Maybe they’ll have a child seat.”

Well. Maybe they hadn’t taken it that well after all, Kara thought, as she tuned in to the voices drifting through the bus window.

“Psst, hey, Kara,” Winn called quietly from the open bus door. “Is there any chance you can come up with a reason to swap seats with me? I think Glenda from Fashion might have deliberately laid out her Tampax across the seat to try and keep it free...”

“Sure, Winn,” Kara sighed gloomily. “People aren’t really getting into this whole “team spirit” thing yet are they?”

“Thanks!” Winn said, relieved. “And give it a chance, we’ve not even left CatCo yet.”

“I know,” Kara replied, closing down her tablet, scooping up her bag and following Winn up the steps into the bus. “That’s what’s worrying me.” Winn gratefully slunk into the seat at the front of the bus next to the driver and Kara explained to Glenda that whilst she approved of being ready for anything she really didn’t think she needed _all_ her Tampax so close to hand.

“Ok, we’re all set, thanks!” she called out to the driver, settling herself next to a rather put-out looking Glenda. And with a hiss of air the doors slid closed and they were on their way.

\---

 A little over two hours later, Kara suddenly started out of her pleasant doze and wondered what had caused her to wake so abruptly. Confused, she listened in to the conversations around her, but no one was talking about anything significant. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked she’d no missed calls, but no, Lucy had promised her she’d try to keep Supergirl’s involvement to an absolute minimum this weekend if she could help it, and so far there was no news. Then she heard it again: “What is the point of paying hundreds of thousands for a car if it can’t cope with a simple puncture? And I must tell Kara to cancel my Executive Membership of AAA when we get back. An hour’s wait is obscene...”

Kara sat up straight in her seat, accidentally knocking her half-eaten bag of chips off the seat tray and earning her the evil eye from Glenda, as she realised it was _Cat’s_ voice she was hearing. But wait, Cat wasn’t on the bus so why... Kara muttered an apology to Glenda and turned her head away, pretending to look out of the window but surreptitiously pulling down her glasses and focussing her eyes on the road ahead of them. She experienced that disorienting moment as she switched to her X-ray vision and the outlines of the people in front of her, and the cars further down the road swam before her for a moment before she _focussed_. She knew what she was looking for, and sure enough, about a mile further down the road she found a familiar outline standing at the side of the road next to what looked distinctly like a Porsche: Cat.

She didn’t have time to stop to wonder how she’d heard her boss’s mumblings over everything else. Shoving her glasses back up her nose she frantically scrambled out of her seat, apologising over and over again to Glenda, who just looked resigned to her fate now, and hurried to the front of the bus. “Stop the bus!” She called. “We need to a pick up!”

The driver looked confused but dutifully signalled, slowed and pulled over to the side, just a hundred yards away from a very irritated CEO.

“What’s going on?” “Why have we stopped?” “Is she ill?” “Doesn’t she know where we’re going?” “It’s another hour yet, isn’t it?” “Nice car!” “Who’s that?” “Is that Ms Grant?!” Kara tuned out all the muttering and ignored the faces pressed to the windows as she focussed on Ms Grant, who looked completely flabbergasted to see her assistant hurrying out of the bus towards her. “Ms Grant!” she called. “What happened?”

“Keira?!” To say Cat was astonished was putting it mildly. She was a little dusty from her time at the side of the road, and her silk blouse had a streak of oil down the side of it, but Kara thought she still looked remarkably in control. “What are you doing here? How are you here?” Cat asked. “I thought you’d be another hour away yet. Wait, is this... is this the staff bus? Is everyone on there?!” Cat stepped back in horror at the thought of all her staff seeing her in this state and quickly snapped her sunglasses back over her eyes.

“Oh, everyone was ready a little early so we were ahead of schedule, and then we made good time,” Kara breezed. But what happened to you?”

“What... Oh, I must have hit something in the road. The car swerved,” Kara gasped at the thought of it, “But I kept control and managed to get it to the side. But as you can see, the tyre’s shot.”

Kara’s heart was beating hard as she imagined what must have gone through Cat’s head as she wrestled with the car and without thinking she reached out and put her hand on her boss’s shoulder. “Are you ok?” she asked gently. “That must have been terrifying.”

Cat never let anyone touch her without permission. But somehow it felt different with Kara. It always did. She was overcome for a moment at the care that was so obvious in her assistant’s manner and didn’t answer her straight away. Then Kara suddenly realised what she was doing and snatched her hand back, leaving Cat feeling strangely bereft. Cat didn’t remark on it, which was very unlike her.  “I...” she started, and then cleared her throat, “I was completely in control and, as you can see, I am fine. But-”

“Ms Grant!” James Olsen and several other staff came hurrying towards her now on the dusty verge. “Are you ok? What happened?!”

The moment with Kara had passed and Cat was her professional self again. She held up her hands to them. “Nothing to worry yourselves about. I just had a puncture. The AAA are nothing but incompetent and I’ve been sitting here for the last ten minutes waiting to be resc-” no, that wouldn’t do, “-waiting for a replacement car.”

James was always very practical and he clapped his hands together, walking round the car to examine it for potential damage as he did so. “Well,” he asked, “Do you have a spare? Maybe we could change it for you?”

“What sort of ridiculous question is that?” Cat retorted. “Of course I have a spare. What do you take me for? Unfortunately the locking wheel nut is jammed and I ruined this shirt trying to change it myself.”

James and the staff were impressed that their diminutive boss would even know what a locking wheel nut was, never mind attempt to change the wheel herself. “That’s a shame,” James mused. “But maybe we can lever it off between us?”

“Be my guest,” Cat gestured towards the wheel, removed her sunglasses and took a couple of steps away from the car.

For the next few minutes several of the young men on her staff engaged in what she fondly termed male bonding, as sweaters were removed, shirt sleeves rolled up, and various theories were exchanged as to why the locking nut was jammed in the first place. There was a lot of grunting and muffled swearing as various men leaned on, twisted, jumped up on down on, pulled and pushed the stuck nut with a wrench. Finally, Cat stifled a smile when Kara, making sympathetic noises, wandered over and bent down to look at the wheel and seemingly just touched the offending nut. Cat snorted when she jumped back in feigned shock as the nut pinged onto the ground and all the men cheered. “Wow,” Kara said, smiling, “You must have loosened it after all!”

James then wasted no time in retrieving the spare from beneath the trunk whilst Winn and two of the other men fumbled about trying to line up the jack under the car. Cat noticed that most of the women who’d got off the bus were just milling around chatting rather than trying to help. Much as she detested gender stereotypes she supposed it was easier just to let the men get on with it on this occasion. However, it seemed to her that they were taking quite a long time setting up the jack. “Excuse me,” she called, looming over Winn who was lying half-hidden beneath the car, “I thought you were supposed to be some sort of technological genius. Why then, has it taken you more than five minutes to line up two different pieces of metal?”

“There’s a bit more to it than that actua- agh!” Winn banged his head on the underside of the car in his hurry to scramble out and face his boss. He struggled up, rubbing the bump. “The thing is, the pneumatic piston in the jack appears to have deteriorated over time and it isn’t generating the required pounds per square inch of force...” he halted in the face of Cat’s glare. Even covered in oil and with windswept hair she was still intimidating.

“So what you’re telling me,” Cat finished for him. “Is that we can’t jack up the car?” Winn nodded, looking scared. “So how exactly are we going to change the wheel?”

Everyone muttered for a few moments while Cat glared at each in turn before throwing up her hands in disgust. “I’m not interested in excuses!” she snapped. “Every minute wasted here is a minute we could be building team spirit in a forest.”

“I have an idea,” Kara suddenly said, quietly, and Cat was so surprised that she stopped ranting and looked at her expectantly. “James, you know how to get the wheel off and the new one in place quickly, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah,” James nodded, with an unreadable expression on his face, “But I’m not sure what good that will do us without the jack. After all,” he added, looking meaningfully at Kara, “There’s no other way to lift the car.”

Cat suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and wondered where Kara was going with this. She surely couldn’t mean to expose herself here, in front of all her colleagues, for a measly blown out tyre?

Kara just smiled and turned on the spot, gesturing at the gathered crowd of journalists and technicians. “Surely,” she said, “If as many of us as possible get a grip on the back and side of the car we can lift it enough between us for you get the old wheel off and the new one on?”

“But that would be dangerous!” one of the other men called out. Cat forgot his name. Ed? It was probably Ed. “If we slipped the car could fall on someone’s foot or crush James’s hand as he removed the wheel, and...” he hesitated a moment, glancing at his boss, “And we might, um, damage Ms Grant’s car.”

“Hey!” Cat spoke up, slicing her hand through the air. “No one is damaging my car. Or themselves. If it’s dangerous then we’ll just wait. I’ve waited this long already.”

But any further objections caught in her throat as Kara looked her in the eye, smiled reassuringly, and said, “I’m sure it’ll be fine. We won’t drop it.” 

 _“I”_ Cat heard. _“I won’t drop it_.”

Cat stared at Kara for a moment before shaking herself and turning to face the others. “Well,” she said, dusting her hands off. “If Kara says it’ll be fine I’m sure it’ll be fine. Let’s have a go, shall we?”

As it turned out, there was no space for Cat to hold onto her own car as employees (mostly men, but she was impressed to see Glenda in there along with Kara) jostled for space around the back and sides of her white Porsche. Everyone seemed to want to get involved. Winn stood ready with the new wheel, whilst James was knelt down at the side, ready to pull out the flat. They all grinned nervously and a few rolled their shoulders and shuffled into a better stance, ready to lift. Quite a crowd from the bus had gathered behind her now. Even the driver had climbed down to see what all the fuss was about.

Cat stood and watched as Kara reached her hands under the back fender and then called out: “Everyone ready?” There were nods all round. “Ok, then, on the count of three. One, two, three: lift!” And there were whoops behind her as the car slowly rose off the ground, her employees visibly straining. James whipped off the damaged wheel and moved out of the way, whilst Winn smoothly knelt down and clicked the new wheel into place. He jiggled it for a moment, to be sure it was secure, then called out: “Done!”

“OK!” Kara called out again, “And... lower!” And with a slight squeak of suspension, the Porsche’s wheels were lowered back to the road. Cheers erupted from behind her and there was lots of back slapping as the team congratulated themselves on seemingly achieving the impossible.

Cat knew better though, and she was speechless for a moment at what Kara had managed to accomplish. She caught her assistant’s eye over the other side of the car and they just looked at each other, communicating without words. Kara looked a little sheepish at first but then smiled at Cat, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face, and Cat was reminded suddenly of James’ picture of the hero holding up the bus. This time she’d held up a bus for a rather different reason.

Cat smiled too, and then turned away to make sure Winn had finished with her wheel. The driver had already begun ushering his passengers back onto the bus, keen to make up lost time, and Kara hung back for a moment to make sure her boss was really ok. Before she could say anything, Cat reached out and this time Kara’s eyes widened as her boss brushed her fingers briefly along her arm.

“Thank you,” Cat said, “Ah ah-” she cut off whatever excuse Kara had begun to make. “Thank you.” Kara smiled hesitantly and Cat had to remind herself that this was her assistant. So she turned abruptly and walked towards her car. “See you in an hour, Keira,” she called over her shoulder. As she opened the door she saw Kara hadn’t moved. “What?” she said, doing her best to sound haughty. “You surely weren’t expecting a ride when you’re all covered in who knows what, were you? Besides, who else would organise the rabble on that contraption?” And without further ado she started the engine and pulled out into the road.

Kara stared after her a moment, running a hand through her hair, lost in thought. Then she mentally gathered herself and hopped back up the steps, making her way to a now smiling and rather dusty Glenda. With a hiss, the bus doors slid shut, and they were on their way again.

Not far now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know whether American cars have locking wheel nuts or if you call it something else! Hopefully the British car terminology isn't too different.


	4. Paint on her face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cat finally gets to go paintballing, but things don't quite go according to plan...

Cat had relaxed slightly as the scenery gradually shifted around her from dusty and arid to lush and green as she climbed gently higher into the mountain foothills about 3 hours northeast of National City. The Porsche growled throatily as she shifted it down a gear to handle a tight bend and Cat mentally thanked her older son, Adam, for persuading her that a stick shift would be far more fun to drive than an automatic. The built-in GPS showed just another 12 miles until she reached her destination.  The road had become gradually quieter over the last 30 or so, and she’d barely seen another car since turning off the highway. She guessed that somewhere a few miles back was the staff bus, but there was no way they could match the speed of her gorgeous car, unless Kara decided to get out and push...

Cat snorted and shook her head at the mental image that conjured up.  She’d spent the last half an hour going over what had just happened at the side of the road and she still wasn’t quite sure how she felt about it. She remembered watching Kara lift her car (and she was certain it was her who’d done most of the lifting) like it was nothing more than a paperweight, showing none of the strain that was evident on her colleague’s faces. Rather, Kara had looked... happy. Buoyant, even.  It was obvious to Cat that Kara was suddenly becoming more open with her, even if she didn’t trust her enough yet to come out and just tell her the truth. But this was a delicate game they were playing, dancing around each other like this. Cat had only realised a few weeks ago that the deep affection she held for her bumbling yet sumpremely efficient assistant and for her Girl of Steel alter ego had developed into something much more profound, that the very sight of Kara could set her heart pounding and send her thoughts down dangerous pathways. And sometimes... sometimes Cat noticed the way Kara looked at her and wondered if her feelings might be deeper than she was ready to admit as well. Kara was so young, and it felt so wrong to feel this way about her, but when Cat looked into her eyes she saw the gaze of someone who was older than her years and who had seen too much in life already...

Cat shook her head again and reached for the stereo, before remembering it was now voice-activated, thanks to Lord Tech. She needed to distract herself and get her head back in the game before she had to speak to the owner of this forest place in a few minutes. Clearing her throat and feeling a bit silly, she called out: “Music: Upbeat. Shuffle selection.”

The second built in display immediately lit up and Cat cocked her head at the pizzicato electric tones and thumping bass that danced out of the top-of-the-range stereo.

“ _You shout it out_  
But I can’t hear a word you say  
I’m talking loud, not saying much.  
I’m criticized, but all your bullets ricochet  
Shoot me down, but I get up...”

“Music: pause!” Cat called out. What was that tune? It wasn’t one she’d heard before. She risked a glance at the display and saw the playlist heading: KARA DRIVING TUNES. Of all the... Kara must have uploaded some new tunes into her car. Was this one her idea of a joke? Surely she must have laughed as she listened to those words. But it was kind of catchy...

“Music: repeat song!” Cat called, and she found herself bobbing her head in time to the rhythmic beat as she accelerated out of a bend and was grinning by the time the bass really kicked in after the chorus. It was the perfect driving tune, and Cat couldn’t help but call out again to her car: “Text: Kara.”

“TEXTING KARA,” the slightly robotic voice replied.

“Kiera: Something appears to have happened to my music. Very droll. Bulletproof? Really? Send.”

“MESSAGE SENT.”

She smiled when the reply tone pinged over the stereo less than a minute later, and she instructed the computer to read the message to her. Even read aloud she could hear Kara’s multiple exclamation marks.

“Ms Grant!! I knew you’d appreciate my taste in music one day!!!”

It was a little weird hearing it in the monotonous tones, but just those few words made her smile even wider as she swung the car round another bend and repeated the catchy song again. By the time she pulled through the gate posts for Carraway Forest she’d listened to _Titanium_ 7 times in a row – a record for her. She shut off the stereo as she drove carefully down the narrow track, National City already feeling worlds away.

Just over a mile from the main road, Cat spotted a large wooden cabin with bright flags and a carefully painted green sign bearing the legend: “Welcome to Carraway.” As she pulled into one of the spaces outside the cabin a tall, rugged man hurried out to greet her. She mentally shrugged herself back into her CEO persona and ignored the proffered hand as she stepped out of the car, sunglasses firmly in place again. The man didn’t look too concerned and just smiled warmly at her. “Ms Grant,” he said in a deep voice, “Welcome to Carraway Forest. I’m David Hereford, Manager of Carraway Spirit Retreats. A few of your employees arrived about 20 minutes ago, but we’re still expecting a bus-”

“It’s on its way,” Cat cut him off, not looking at him but inspecting her surroundings. A little way further down the path she could see several smaller log cabins and one larger building, with other paths branching off.

“Well good. We’ve only a couple hours until sunset, and it’s important we get on with our first activity before then.” David didn’t seem perturbed by her abruptness, which was good. “We normally only accept groups for a 5 day booking, but your assistant was very charming and persuasive and so we made a special case for you, as you know, but it does mean we have a lot to fit in.” This was in fact news to Cat, but she somehow wasn’t surprised that Kara had managed to arrange this.  Her face gave nothing way and she just nodded at David to continue.

“I’ve made all arrangements with Ms Danvers – should I continue to speak with her about any routine matters over this weekend?” David asked her.

“By all means,” Cat managed to sound bored as she replied, although, as always, her treacherous heart had sped up slightly at the mention of Kara. “My assistant is more than capable of making any necessary decisions about flavours of dips and group hugs this weekend. She will know when to consult with me.”

“Excellent,” David smiled again. “Then I just need to show you to your accommodation for the next two nights, and once everyone has arrived we’ll meet in the Great Hall to prep for your first team task.” He waved a hand towards the largest cabin visible, but then turned to look past Cat down the track, where the crunch of tyres could be heard. A moment later the staff bus came into view and Cat decided to take the opportunity to look around the site. Kara would arrange for someone to bring her bags later.

There was a lot of noise and hustle over the next few minutes, and Cat returned once most of the staff had dispersed with their cheap luggage and only Kara, Winn and David were still talking near the welcome cabin, watching as the bus carefully reversed out and began the journey back to the city. Cat wasn’t surprised to see that Kara seemed to have befriended David already, as he laughed heartily at something she’d said. “Ah, Ms Grant!” David said cheerfully as she approached, “I wondered where you’d gotten to. Mr Schott, your dorm cabin is the second on the left with the yellow eagle on the door.” Winn nodded and scampered off with his bag. “Follow me ladies,” David said to Cat and Kara, and he strode off down the path to the right, not waiting to see if they were following. Cat glanced at Kara as she hurried to keep up, gratified to see that her faithful assistant had automatically picked up her boss’s bags as well as her own.

Cat was a city girl at heart, but since she’d started paintballing with Carter she’d grown increasingly fond of the forest they practised in. National Forest was obviously nowhere near as large as Carraway Forest seemed to be, but it had that same clean air, distant birdsong and rustle of branches that Cat had to admit was... not terrible. The pine needle strewn pathway was dappled by evening sunlight and a gentle breeze was just enough to make Cat glad she’d worn her black fitted IRO jacket. Perhaps this weekend wouldn’t be a total waste after all.

David led them along a path marked with wooden signs bearing a red fox logo, and Cat tried not to mind how quickly he marched ahead with his much longer legs. Kara, she noticed dryly, didn’t seem to be having any trouble in keeping up, even with all their bags. Their tall, dark guide showed them into a small cabin with the same red fox painted by the door. It certainly looked sturdy enough, Cat thought, as she made her way up the steps and through into the quaint little sitting and kitchen area. The deep red checked seat covers looked a little worn, sure, and there was no sign of a TV, but everything looked clean and comfortable. Glenda from Fashion and Kelly from the editorial team were seated on the couch, mugs of coffee in hand, and Cat thought she might remember the looks on their faces forever as they realised they’d be sharing a cabin with their boss. Priceless.

David gave them a mercifully brief tour of the cabin, and she was pleasantly surprised to see both a percolator and an espresso machine (readily stocked, she noted, with bulletproof coffee, which had Kara’s name all over it), and the bathroom was certainly spacious with a satisfyingly high spec shower and a large Jacuzzi bath as well as a separate additional WC and washbasin. “And this,” David finished, pushing open the final door, “Will be your room.”

Kara followed them quietly into the twin room, a bag on each arm. The room was certainly small, but cosy, with checked curtains to match the armchair in the corner, a sheepskin rug and a small desk with a lamp and bookcase opposite the door.

“Well,” Cat offered a slight smile to David. “I’m pleasantly surprised. This will be...adequate for my stay. Keira, you may leave my bags next to that bed there.” Walking over to the bed furthest away from the door she addressed Kara, “I expect you to keep the door to your room propped open, Keira. You know I like you to be within shouting distance. Glenda and Kelly will have to find some ear defenders.”

She turned as David let out a little laugh behind her. “Ms Grant, I think you misunderstand. This is your assistant’s room as well. Both these rooms are twin.” He looked from one to the other in the stunned silence that followed. “You booked us out completely. There are no spare beds.”

Both women stared at him, frozen. Cat recovered first and managed to splutter, “Well, that simply won’t do! I require my privacy. Keira, surely you specified a separate room when you made this booking?”  
  
“I... yes, I did, I swear, Ms Grant, I didn’t ask for a twin room...”

“I know you did, Ms Danvers,” David tried to sooth her, his hands slightly in a defensive posture, “But we simply don’t have the space. But this is our executive cabin, with plenty of space, surely you two will be ok here?”

Cat was looking daggers at Kara, and her assistant tried to placate her. “Ms Grant, I’m sure we can work this out-”

“Look, I don’t mean to be rude,” David interjected, but we really do need to get started with our first session. We meet in ten minutes in the Meeting Hall. Will I see you both there?”

“I suppose,” Cat replied, “that we have no choice. That will be all.”

And David fled while he still could.

\---

A little over an hour later, Kara was crouched in a slightly broken-down looking wooden bunker with Glenda and Cat, trying to resist the temptation to use her X-ray vision to look through the wall. Glenda had tried to peek over the window ledge a moment earlier and the paintball splatter on the wall behind them showed how close she’d come to being hit and relegated to the prison. Both their faded camouflage suits and boots bore a fair few paint splatters, but none of the hits they’d taken yet were to the torso, so they were still in... for now.

“Come on!” Glenda hissed at her teammate. “When I looked just now I could definitely see the red team’s flag over there, past that fallen tree and near the burnt out car. We know they’ve got a sniper somewhere, but I couldn’t see anyone else and it was right out in the open. We could be out the backdoor, sneak round behind them and grab their flag before they know what’s hit them!”

Kara chewed her lip as she hefted her gun and checked how many paintballs she had remaining: just 4. If she ran out she’d have to go back to base to restock, and they’d lose their position here. “I don’t know,” she said, “I just think James and Winn are too clever to leave their team’s flag so undefended. It’s got to be a trap. They’re trying to draw us in by leaving it out there as bait – they must be hiding somewhere nearby and they know this bunker is the obvious spot for us to shelter in.”

“Look,” Glenda hissed again, pushing up her eye mask. “I know I only had a second before their sniper spotted me, but there really wasn’t anyone else around. Maybe Patrick and Sally really did take out the rest of the team when they snuck around from the other side?”

“For once, Keira is right,” Cat drawled, as she too took stock of her remaining paintballs, although in her case this just required touching the display on the side of her gun. “If Patrick and Sally and the others were still out there they’d have signalled or even managed to claim the flag by now. And Mr Olsen and Mr Schott are not entirely without brains. No, they know we’re in here and they can’t get behind us so they’re trying to draw us out. But they might not know how many of us there are.” She paused to wipe a bit of red paint splatter from her mask. “Leaving Neil and Harris behind to guard the flag was obviously one of my better ideas, as there’s certainly no sign of the red team having captured _our_ flag, at least. However, if the Reds have taken out everyone except them then if they get us too they’ll win easily. Here,” she held her hand out to Glenda, “Give me your mask.”

Nonplussed, Glenda did so, and Cat crept over to the window and raised the mirrored mask above the frame just slightly. _Phut!_ The mask was shot out of Cat’s hand before more than a couple of inches of it were visible. Glenda scampered to pick it up. “They’re watching our every move,” Cat said, ignoring her and seemingly staring at the wall, “so we’ll have to surprise them.”

“I don’t see why we had to get paint all over _my_ mask,” Glenda muttered behind them, as she tried to rub the red splat off with her sleeve.

Kara’s own mask was currently pushed up on top of her head. It was pretty uncomfortable wearing it on top of her glasses and it made her feel a little claustrophobic anyway – part of the reason why Supergirl didn’t have a mask. She could, of course, easily see through Cat’s own mirrored mask, and could tell that her boss was deep in thought. “What do you propose, Ms Grant?” she asked, snapping Cat out of her reverie. The media mogul turned her head towards her as she responded: “We send them some bait. We all leave the bunker and I go down to the left, through those ferns, and draw their fire. I’m sure I can dodge for a bit. You and Glenda wait until I draw them out, then make your own way round to the North-East and circle behind them.” She turned to Glenda then, “I’m pretty sure they’ll expect Keira to be with me, so you’ll be the element of surprise. Split up but keep an eye on each other and Glenda, you take the higher ground. They’ll likely be drawn to Keira first of all. When you get the flag, double back towards our base but stick together for support and I’m sure you’ll make it. They won’t know what hit them.”

Kara’s heart beat a little quicker and she had to ask, “Ms Grant, why do you think they’ll assume I’ll be with you?”

Behind the mask, Kara could see Cat’s eye twinkle with mirth, although her voice remained steady. “Because, Keira,” she deadpanned, “You are nothing if not predictable. Predictably loyal. Since we were placed in the same team they’ll expect you to stick with me out of some misguided attempt to protect me. Glenda, however, is more of a loose cannon and could be anywhere.” Kara was a little hurt at those words, although she couldn’t deny they were accurate. Glenda pulled a face but then shrugged, obviously agreeing too.

“Now,” Cat continued, poking Kara in the chest, “If you get your head in the game and focus on winning instead of defending, and I draw them off, we might have a chance. Ok?”

Both girls nodded, slightly reluctantly.

“Right then, girls, masks on,” Kara managed to pull hers down over her glasses eventually and was quite glad the bridge couldn’t actually cut into her nose, although she hoped they didn’t break as she only had one spare pair with her. “Are we clear on the plan?” “Yes, Ms Grant!”

“Ok then, on my three: one...two... three!” And all three women launched themselves out of the bunker door. Kara and Glenda simply shuffled round to the side of the building, ready to run out when the paintballs started flying, whilst Cat hurried, bent close to the ground, towards the ferns ten feet away and slightly down the hill. Kara couldn’t resist focusing her vision and peering through the wooden bunker hut to follow her boss’s progress, and she had to admit she was seeing a new side to Cat here today. She never thought she’d see the Queen of all Media commando crawling through undergrowth and even rolling to avoid paintballs – and there were a lot of paintballs. Cat had been right, half the red team must have been hiding up there, and Cat was too big a target to ignore. She heard muffled shouts from coming up the hill, and she really was doing her best not to listen in properly and give herself an unfair advantage, but from the excited tone she knew the other team had realised who it was who’d left the bunker and they were scrambling to follow.  She watched, heart in her mouth, as Cat somehow reached the end of the ferns with only two hits to her arm and leg – still no body shot to count her out of the game.

So focussed was she on Cat that she’d forgotten her role. Glenda hadn’t though, and the fashion columnist was tugging on her sleeve, hissing her name crossly, “Come on, Danvers! Don’t freeze on me! That’s our cue – we have to get up the hill!”

“Oh right, sorry, sure, let’s go!” And it was Kara and Glenda’s turn to scurry out from behind the shelter of the bunker. They headed up the hill together and ducked behind a couple of strategically-placed oil drums about forty feet away without being spotted. Glenda panted slightly, “Why aren’t you out of breath, Kara?” she muttered at her, as she wiped sweat away from the back of her neck with her sleeve. “Um, I do lots of jogging with my sister and she always said I should push myself to get things going and this one time she made us leave the house before it was even sunrise...”

“Never mind,” Glenda snorted, “Sorry I asked.” Both girls looked down the hill, where several red players had come out into the open now, looking for Cat, whom Kara could see had hidden herself in another patch of brush. “Y’know,” Glenda murmured, “I bet we could take them all out from here and still get to the flag...”

“No!” Kara yelped, and Glenda immediately shushed her before they gave themselves away. “Sorry, I mean, Cat was pretty specific about what we should do and she’s very experienced at this...”

“Pff, oh please,” and Kara was sure Glenda rolled her eyes behind her mask. “Just because she’s played a few games doesn’t make her an expert at everything. Come on, let’s go further up the hill and then we can take a few out from the top without them even seeing us.”

“I don’t know,” Kara hesitated as Glenda prepared to move off, “Cat is very good...”

“And doesn’t know everything! Come on!” And with that, Glenda shot out from their hiding place and darted further up the hill towards another clump of ferns. Kara mumbled a Kryptonian curseword and followed her. She hadn’t quite made it to the ferns before Glenda was off again, hurrying to Kara’s left, and as Kara threw herself ungracefully into the ferns Glenda opened fire on two of the red team who were now heading towards their former bunker.

She managed to hit two tall men with clean shots to the torso, one of whom Kara was sure was James, the Team Captain, and the two raised their guns above their head and began trudging back up the hill towards their base. With an elated shout, Glenda rushed out of her cover towards a third figure down the hill, ignoring Kara’s hoarse whispers to wait, and even as she fired towards the third red team member, another Red appeared from further up the hill and with a _phut phut phut splat!_ Glenda was hit right in the stomach and out of the game.

Kara didn’t know what to do now. As Glenda trudged back to the blue base with her own gun held over her head and a decidedly sulky look on her face, the superhero focussed down on Cat again and saw that the Red Glenda missed and another unidentifiable team member were closing in on her boss’s position. Forgetting it was a game, forgetting what had just happened to Glenda, she stood up out of the scratchy ferns and fired at the two reds down the hill. Before she could tell for sure if she’d got them, she heard a cry from behind her to, “Stand down! Fair hit! Stand down, Blue!” and realised that she herself had been painted. She hadn’t felt it of course. Turning round, she recognised Winn’s outline at the top of the hill, and resignedly raised her gun over her head. As she started back to the red base, she couldn’t help but hear the crows of delight as the other Reds finally got Cat.

A few minutes later it was all over, and back at the equipment centre the Blues were jumping around in victory, waving the Red flag in delight. Cat was not happy.

Kara and Glenda hung their heads as she berated them. “What happened?!” she stormed. “Did you even follow the plan?”   

“We saw an opportunity-” Glenda started, at the same time as Kara said, “I saw they were about to cut you off-”

“Ugh!” Cat flung her hands up in the air. “What happened is that you didn’t listen to me and you didn’t follow my instructions. And we lost! We were about to win!”

“It’s only a game!” Glenda retorted, as she stripped off her combat fatigues and reached for her sweater. “What does it matter?” And she headed over to Kelly to swap stories, seemingly unbothered by the loss.

“It matters because it shows we weren’t working together. You were too focused on your own things and not on the plan. If we’d stuck to the plan we’d have won.” Cat glared at Winn as he waved the flag a little too near her and he hastily retreated, waving it much more gently.

Cat’s words stung Kara. She’d only been looking out for her, even if it _was_ just a game. “Well,” she threw back at her boss, “Maybe if you hadn’t been so focussed on winning and not on the team we might have won after all.”

Cat looked at her for a moment, and then just turned and stalked silently out of the hut, gun tucked under her arm. Kara winced. She was definitely going to have to sleep on the sofa now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made a couple of small edits in the earlier chapters: most notably I've changed it so that Lucy is looking after all things DEO back home, not Alex. Canonically this story takes place after most of the events of Episode 18 in Season 1, but pre Myriad. Things are AU after Barry goes home and Myriad is yet to happen - but is not off the cards.
> 
> Next we'll see how Kara deals with the sleeping arrangements...


	5. Up in flames

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some conversations around the fire, and we get a bit more SuperCat towards the end...

Kara shifted slightly on her log and took another sip of her cocoa. It really was excellent, with a hint of cinnamon and chilli. Alcohol was banned at Carraway Forest (although she had personally made sure to bring a bottle of Cat’s favourite malt, just in case, and hoped they didn’t do a bag check) so it was cocoa all round in the evening. She looked around the circle at the firelit faces and tried to guess from their expressions what was going through their heads. Dinner had been fairly simple but delicious fare of a range of hot dogs and burritos, and Kara had been delighted that the catering staff here had gone all out to fulfil her special requests for Ms Grant so that a lettuce wrap was waiting for her. It had been gratifying to see the surprise briefly flit over her face when Cat could then find nothing to complain about except the plain cutlery, but she was pleased to see that her boss was indulging herself in a small mug of cocoa as well. Cat was obviously making a real effort to engage with the team building, even though it must be hard for her to let her walls down. Keeping up her image both at work and in the media had to be a daily battle for her, as Kara didn’t for one second believe that she was that ruthless and unfeeling all the time. She’d glimpsed the warmer, human side of Cat Grant too many times for that to be true.

This was their last scheduled exercise for the evening and they were currently supposed to be sharing either examples they’d witnessed of excellent teamwork or ways they’d seen teams fall apart – the rule being that it couldn’t be about CatCo.

“...and then they dropped the old tyre and it bounced down the pit lane in front of the car!” Winn concluded his story about a Formula 1 pit stop gone wrong, and several of the group howled with laughter, whilst everyone else smiled politely.

Glenda was up next, and Kara couldn’t help but hunch her shoulders a little more as she realised she was telling the story of the tanker disaster from her early days as Supergirl. She glanced over at Cat as Glenda hammed up the scale of it all, and caught the older woman looking at her. Both of them quickly looked away again. “...I mean, did she really have to just do it all on her own? Couldn’t she have asked for help? I know she’s come a long way since then, but I thought that was a really good example, especially as nearly everyone looks up to her. Often literally.” That last part brought a few chuckles, but Kara was relieved Glenda hadn’t particularly been going for laughs, just sharing a relevant story. She’d be the first to admit that she’d made some huge mistakes in her early superhero career. She didn’t think they’d be her last, either.

Her sensitive ears picked up the buzz of Cat’s phone vibrating and she watched her across the fire as she hastily pulled her phone out of her pocket, glared at the screen and glanced apologetically at their co-ordinator, Michaela, who nodded at her to take her leave. Cat was the only one who’d been excused from the ban on mobile use during activities as it was recognised that the CEO of a multimedia corporation could hardly be expected to be unreachable in an emergency. Rising surprisingly gracefully from the hard bench, Cat stalked a little way into the darkness of the trees to take the call. Kara tuned in to the conversation for long enough to know that it was a query from the skeleton staff they’d left behind to keep things ticking over while the rest of them were away. She hoped it wasn’t a problem with the printing press again. Drawing her focus back to the circle again, she perked up as Michaela invited James, the last speaker, to share his story.

“I’ve got a Supergirl story as well,” he started, glancing over at Kara. Things between them had been a little cool after their handful of dates didn’t work out. Surprisingly, Kara had found that dating James had been a little like dating a brother, and she’d been relieved that he’d admitted to feeling the same. They’d agreed to go back to being friends, but it would take more than a few weeks for them to be such close friends as they had been before. She knew she didn’t need to feel anxious about what he was about to share though. “This story’s a little more recent, from just a couple of weeks ago. You remember that collapsed apartment block on 21st Street?” Everyone around the campfire nodded, some of them looking a little grim. It turned out the building hadn’t been up to current regulations and the owner had removed some crucial load-bearing beams during an ill-advised restoration of the second floor. The whole building had crumpled and several residents and builders had been crushed or trapped.

“Well,” James continued, “Supergirl arrived really quickly that time and worked with the fire service to locate all the survivors. The Chief told me afterwards that Supergirl went straight to him when she arrived and asked how best she could help. She used her super-hearing and X-ray vision to locate those who were trapped and then helped the fire service to get to each location as soon as possible. She rescued two herself and held up the ceiling over another resident.” Everyone nodded again. There’d been a lot of coverage of the building collapse and the arrest of the owner. “But what wasn’t so widely shown,” James went on, “Was that once everyone who was trapped had been rescued, Supergirl used her supervision again to locate the bodies of those residents that hadn’t made it. She got them out herself and took them straight over to the ambulances to be taken to the morgue and identified.”

Kara blinked away the tears that began welling up as James recounted one of the bleakest moments of her recent rescues. She knew, really, that she couldn’t possibly save everyone, and that there was no way she could have been there in time to save the four people who’d died, instantly, crushed by the collapsing building. But pulling those bodies out had been one of the hardest things she’d had to do. She’d asked the Chief to let her do it, once all the survivors were out, so that they wouldn’t risk themselves any further. When she returned with the final body the firecrew had all saluted her out of respect. She hadn’t felt able to return it and had just flown off to think. She hastily schooled her expression in case people read too deeply into it.

“Supergirl could’ve tried to do all that by herself,” James was continuing. “God knows she could’ve done. But it might’ve so easily gone wrong if she’d done that, if she’d shifted the wrong bit of building or missed a survivor... and there might’ve been more bodies to find. But she worked with those professionals and together they saved every possible life. That’s teamwork at its finest right there.”

There were murmurs and nods all round the circle as everyone seemed to agree with James, who gave Kara a quick smile, which she returned gratefully. She’d have to thank him properly later.

In the dim firelight, Kara hadn’t noticed Cat return to the edge of the circle. Winn saw her, though, and he was the only one who caught the expression on Cat’s face as she watched her assistant thoughtfully during the end of James’s story.

“Thank you, James, for finishing us on such a positive note,” Michaela smiled and clapped her hands together. She’d been introduced by their host, David, before the paintball match, and it seemed as though she’d be the one actually in charge of their group for the weekend, rather than David, who was more concerned with the day-to-day running of the Camp.  She cut a striking figure, with her dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and only a hint of makeup, somehow managing to make combat boots look glamorous as well as functional. “You’re welcome to hang out here for a while, although we’ll be putting the fire out in about an hour, and the rest of the evening’s yours to enjoy. You know you can make use of the pool table and foosball and everything in the Games Cabin, or just return to your dorms when you’re ready. Remember, always carry a torch with you and please don’t wander from the lit paths as it’s easy to get turned around here in the dark. We haven’t seen bears around for a little while but we have heard wolf howls in the last few months.” She grinned evilly at her last statement, no doubt intending it to scare all of them into staying on the paths at night. “Breakfast is from 0700 tomorrow and those of you who are keen can join me in a run along the forest trails starting from the Meeting Hut at 0600.” A few of the group looked interested at that, Kara noted, James among them, but most just rolled their eyes.

“Have a good night and see you in the morning! You know where to find us if there are any problems.” And with that, the group started to disperse. Kara made her way instantly over to Cat. “Ms Grant,” she asked, “Was everything alright at CatCo?”

“Keira,” Cat replied as she bent to collect her empty mug. “Just the person I need. There’s been a landslide a few miles outside National City and while it doesn’t seem too serious we need to make sure CatCo is one of the first on the scene to report on the damage. I don’t want anyone to accuse us of not caring,” she said, with a hard look in her eyes. “I need you to call Miranda in Traffic, Pietro in Environment, Niall in Local Affairs...” and just like that Kara’s evening disappeared. She couldn’t complain though, as it meant working with Cat by the fire. There was a weirdly good mobile signal here.

She pulled out her phone and saw the text from Lucy that simply said: All under control. No need to worry. L. And with a small sigh she started the calls Cat had reeled off.

\---***---***---***---

A little over an hour later, Kara looked up from her tablet as Michaela reminded her that they needed to put out the fire now. She glanced over at Cat on the next log, who’d just hung up again, and her boss nodded, gathering her things together. “I think we’re finished for now, Keira. It will do our reserve team good to be responsible now. They can’t expect me to micromanage every detail. We’ve put together the structure for the article and the news spot’s in place and they’ll just have to get on with it.” _Or suffer the consequences_ , went the unspoken, final part of that sentence. “I’ll see you back at the cabin,” Cat waved one hand at her, and as Michaela started to damp down the fire behind them her boss began to wind her way towards their cabin. Kara still didn’t know what she was going to do about the sleeping arrangements, and decided that perhaps the best thing would be to let Cat get settled first, and she’d then find a spot in the living room. She’d shifted her bags into there earlier, just in case. It wasn’t like she needed as much sleep anyway, even if it was nice to get extra. Three or four hours would do.

The superhero looked around the clearing, wondering where to go, and let her hearing pick out where everyone else had headed. She smiled as she heard Winn’s voice with a group of others over in the Games Room, whilst James seemed to be enjoying an illicit nightcap in his cabin with Ed and two others, perhaps their housemates for the weekend. She toyed with the idea of going to join Winn for a game of foosball, but then she heard the deep voice of David, their host, coming up behind her.

“Lost, Supergirl?” he chuckled. Kara spun round, her heart in her mouth. “Wh... what? Supergirl? I’m just plain old “Regular Girl”, that’s me, I mean, not that sort of regular, well I am, I’m just...” she stammered.

“Don’t worry,” David spread his hands wide and smiled reassuringly as he sat on the log nearest her, indicating she should join him. With the fire gone the space was lit now only by a few dim electric lamps. Michaela had apparently headed off while Kara had stood deciding. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

Kara just stared blankly at him, like a deer caught in the headlights.

“Did you think I wouldn’t remember the superhero who helped us out when the river flooded before Christmas? It was quite a way from here and I was out with a group white water rafting. I stupidly hadn’t expected the river to be so swollen and both me and two of the group were swept out of the raft, our lines broken.”

He gazed out into the trees as he recounted the tale, and Kara suddenly remembered. She’d always found it peaceful to fly over the forest on a quiet day – it was only a three minute gentle flight from National City after all – and she remembered hearing the screams and the cries for help as she rounded the top of the woods, preparing to circle back home.

“I don’t think I could have clung onto that rock for much longer, and I don’t know how you found us, but you did. You pulled me onto the side of the river and went back for the others, finally going back for the whole raft. I remember watching you standing there, dripping, as Jake gave CPR to one of the guys, and I remember the relief on your face when he suddenly lurched and coughed up a lungful of water. I remember you talking to me as I sat there, shaking, in shock, while someone else called for the pick-up to come find us. I would recognise your voice _anywhere_ after that, so imagine how pleased I was to be able to help you out with something in return, Kara Danvers, even if it was something as small as a teambuilding weekend.”

“I don’t know what to say,” Kara stalled for time, running her hand through her hair.

“You don’t need to say anything,” David replied. “Like I said: your secret’s safe with me. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am.” And he smiled at her. Kara couldn’t help but smile back, shocked as she was. Lucy wasn’t going to be happy to hear that someone else had uncovered her secret.

Suddenly her ears picked up distant yells: “...find the fire extinguisher! Quick! Get a blanket! Cat’s going to _kill_ us...” and Kara started upright. “Uh, don’t take this personally,” she said to a startled David, “But I have to go.”

“Oh, it’s ok. I understand. Goodnight...” David’s words drifted after her as she hurried down the path towards her cabin. As she neared it she picked up a distinct whiff of smoke and the incessant bleep of a smoke alarm and forgetting about X-ray vision she only just managed to restrain herself from tearing the door off its hinges in her haste to get inside and find out what was wrong. She was greeted by the sight of Glenda and Kelly frantically stamping on the charred remains of a suitcase. _Her_ suitcase, she realised in horror.

“What happened?!” She yelled at Glenda, who brandished the fire extinguisher in her direction. “Kara!” she yelped, “Oh, I’m so glad you’re not Ms. Grant! Kelly knocked a candle down the side of the sofa-”

“Hey!” Kelly interrupted, still patting the suitcase with a fire blanket. “It could just as easily have been you!”

“Fine, whatever,” Glenda rolled her eyes. “ _One of us_ knocked a candle off the table and it rolled into this suitcase and it just....”

“ _Whump!_ ” Kelly gestured with her hands just how quickly the suitcase had caught fire.

“I mean, what is this thing made of: petroleum jelly?!” Glenda sounded a bit hysterical. “I thought they were all supposed to be fire retardant these days?” Kara remembered, with a sudden sinking feeling, the alien goo she’d got on the suitcase a couple of days earlier when it dripped off her suit. She thought she’d wiped it all clean, though. How was she supposed to know that stuff was highly flammable?

“Please, _please_ tell me this isn’t Ms Grant’s bag!” Glenda finished, looking a bit wild-eyed.

“No, no, it’s mine,” Kara reassured her.

“Oh thank _God-_ uh, I mean, I’m really sorry we set fire to your bag. We’ll pay for a new one I promise. And all your stuff! Were all your clothes in there?” Kelly looked close to tears.

“No, thankfully I’ve still got that other bag there and I’m sure there’s at least a change of clothes and my washbag in that one, but, oh no!” Kara started as she realised that what _had_ been in this suitcase, hiding under the sweaters, was her supersuit.

“What? What?!” Kelly looked distraught whilst Glenda was still mainly relieved that it wasn’t Cat’s bag.

“Oh, nothing, just, um,” Kara thought fast, “It’s just... my pyjamas were in that bag.” Which was actually true.

“Oh no, that’s too bad. But maybe if we open the bag up it won’t be so, um, charred inside?”

“No!” Glenda made to open the zip but Kara rushed and scooped up the case, clutching it to her chest protectively, before realising what she was doing and holding it at her side instead. Seeing that the others were looking at her a little weirdly, she explained, “It’s just, you know, wouldn’t it be better to open it outside, instead of getting bits of charred clothes all over the rug and making it even worse?”

Glenda shrugged, “Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense. Well, we’ll go and see if we’ve anything you can sleep in, if you’re down to just one outfit.”

As the other girls headed into their room to look through their clothes, Kara quickly took her case outside and, after checking no one else was around, opened the lid to examine the damage. She groaned. Maybe a few things were salvageable, but only after a good wash, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Cat’s Scotch was, amazingly, OK. Her uniform though... well, it seemed it was only fireproof when it was next to her skin. With the amount of it that had charred away it wouldn’t leave much to the imagination if she wore it now. What a mess... she’d just have to hope she didn’t need it before she could get back to National City. She sighed and thought for a moment before deciding that the safest thing to do would be to get rid of the suit in case anyone did go looking through it. Stupid of her to leave it in there in the first place, really, but she hadn’t felt comfortable coming away without one and she hadn’t had chance to find somewhere to hide it yet. So she nipped round the back of the cabin, away from the windows, and with a quick burst of heat vision she incinerated what was left of it. There was only ash remaining when she was finished, and she felt a bit heartbroken at having had to do that. It was only practical though, she told herself.

Carefully zipping the bag up again, she hurried back round the side of the cabin, only to walk right into Cat Grant.

“Keira,” Cat wrinkled up her nose, “ _What_ is that smell? Is that you? Is that... our cabin??”

And before Kara could prepare her she stormed into the cabin, where Kelly and Glenda were just coming out of their room with something for Kara to wear to sleep in.

“Hey, we think this’ll do, Ka- Ms Grant! Ms Grant, we can explain, you see, we knocked a-” Glenda elbowed Kelly swiftly, “I mean... Kara’s bag caught fire! Everyone’s fine and we’ve got tons of air freshener and I’m sure it’ll be ok, and look we found her something to sleep in,” Kelly babbled and held out the T-shirt they’d found for Kara.

It was an oversized Supergirl T-shirt.

Kara stared at it speechless, while Glenda and Kelly looked nervously at each other, waiting for their boss to say something.

After a few moments someone started laughing, and Kara was astonished to realise that it was Cat. “Hahahahaha... That’s the only thing you’ve got for her to sleep in? Well that’s perfect! Hahaha!”

The three girls stood, astonished, rooted to the spot, at the sight of their boss wiping actual tears of laughter from her eyes. Of all the responses they’d expected, this hadn’t been one of them.

When Cat finally regained control of herself, she straightened up, clutching her aching ribs, and leaned on the doorframe to the bedroom to support herself. “Now girls: we’re all grown ups here and I expect any damages to be sorted out with the owner in the morning. Clear up this mess and sort yourselves out. I don’t want to be treading on charred suitcase in the morning. Kara, you can hardly sleep on that sofa now they’ve scorched the end of it. Hurry up and get cleaned up and then come to bed. Chop chop.”

And with that she stepped through the door, closing it firmly behind her. 

The girls stood speechless. Kara wasn’t sure at what point she’d opened her mouth in shock.

Finally, both Glenda and Kelly started speaking at the same moment: “What was that?!” “Did she just get your name-” “Did she tell you to come to-” “Is she _high_?!”

“I...” Kara really didn’t know what to say. “I- I, don’t know what that was about. And I don’t know what she meant about bed _at all_ ,” she paused to clear her throat to bring her voice back down from the weirdly squeaky pitch it had somehow risen to. “I’m sure the sofa’s only slightly singed-”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Keira. Get to it!” came a slightly muffled voice from the bedroom.

“Wow. I totally thought that would be soundproof,” Glenda muttered. And without another word the three of them hurried to get busy.

About half an hour later, Cat was sitting propped upright against the headboard in her bed, clad in her cream silk pyjamas and with her eye mask on top of her head. The room was lit just by her bedside lamp as she tapped away at the screen of her phone, clearing a last few urgent emails and messages before turning in for the night. The amusing shuffling and muttering from the living room had stopped now and the noise of the taps running in the bathrooms meant that everyone had to be getting ready for bed. Cat had to give it to Kara, she’d thought she’d hate every minute of this experience, but so far it was the most fun she’d had in ages! Apart from losing at paintball, she scowled to herself, as she remembered how that had gone wrong.

Just as she reached the final couple of emails she heard the handle slowly turn and the door creak open. She kept her eyes glued to her screen, feigning indifference, but out of the corner of her eye she watched Kara slink into the room. When her assistant began to creep towards her bed _backwards_ , to keep Cat from getting a good look at the T-shirt, she managed to turn her snort of laughter into a passable cough, and still didn’t look Kara’s way. But even without properly looking she could still tell that the long T-shirt, and presumably her underwear, were the _only_ _things Kara was wearing_. She could feel the heat rising unbidden to her face and coughed again to cover herself.

Whilst she tried hard not to laugh again at the sight of Kara trying to slide into the bed without actually untucking the sheets, she looked back at what she’d just written to her Marketing Director:  
  


Selina,

Don’t forget to cut back the budgets for shorts ghjkw po9Hdssk skin soft )(uns$md we should touch dohdsliha2976d;kj  
  


She backspaced hastily before she sent that by mistake.

By the time she’d corrected that and sent her final email, Kara was doing a very good impression of someone who’d been in their bed for hours and was dead to the world. Cat couldn’t help but gaze at her for a moment. She looked so _cute_ curled there with the sheets pulled up to her neck. Cat considered about a thousand different possible things she could say to her assistant at that moment, but in the end she just couldn’t work up the courage to say anything. Sighing a little at her cowardice, she placed her phone on the bedside table, slipped down into the sheets and reached over and switched off the lamp.

She lay there in the sudden darkness of the room, listening to an owl hooting a little way off into the forest. Kara didn’t move an inch, although she could hear her quiet breathing. Finally, she turned onto her side and pulled her eye mask down and said quietly, before her courage abandoned her again: “Goodnight... Kara.” Then she waited for sleep to take her.

As she began to drift off she could have sworn she heard an equally quiet voice murmur: “Goodnight... Cat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like we're probably about halfway through this fic now...


	6. Walking In The Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kara and Cat fall hard for each other...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a slightly longer chapter for you to make up for the delay in posting. Enjoy!

The next morning Cat woke with a start from a deep sleep at the sudden beeping of her phone alarm. She experienced a brief moment of panic when she thought she’d gone inexplicably blind before remembering that she was wearing her eye mask, not trusting the flimsy-looking drapes to keep the light out. In her panicked flailing she knocked the phone off the cabinet and under the bed, and with muffled cursing she half-rolled, half-fell out of the bed, which was much smaller than she was accustomed to, to find the dratted thing and stop the beeping. As she struggled back out from under the bed (which was surprisingly clean, she was pleased to note) she heard a snort from Kara’s side of the room and glared accusingly across there. But the only other sounds she heard from the bed were muffled snores and Cat suddenly had to suppress her own snort of laughter. There was no way Kara hadn’t been woken by all that, and it was somehow unbelievably cute that she was still pretending to sleep.

Oh dear. She had it bad. In the dim light of early dawn Cat could just make out her assistant’s face. In the night she’d obviously relaxed and rolled over, as Kara was now facing her. Rearranging her legs, Cat sat cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the bed and gazing across at the (pretend) sleeping blonde. Without her glasses on, and with her hair all tousled from sleep, Kara looked as beautiful as ever. Why did she even bother pretending that she didn’t find her attractive? Despite the early morning gloom Cat could still make out that one arm had come free from the tight cocoon of sheets that her assistant had tangled herself in, and she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to run her fingers down that strong arm...

Cat sighed. Then started upright as she realised she’d sighed out loud. Kara shifted slightly in her fake sleep and the media queen decided she wasn’t quite ready yet to be caught staring at her in bed. She couldn’t remember why on earth she’d thought it a good idea to set her alarm for 5.30am today, but since she was up she might as well make use of the bathroom before everyone else grimed it up.  So she took her thoughts off to the shower, collecting her towel and wash bag on the way.

As soon as the door clicked shut Kara’s eyes opened. She doubted she’d fooled Cat with her fake snores but it had been hilarious watching her scrabble around half-asleep under the bed. Somehow she’d expected her boss to just spring straight from the bed with her phone and pen in hand, ready to start the day, so it was kind of a relief to see that she really wasn’t a morning person after all, despite her usual early starts.

From her bed she could just reach the drapes and she pulled one back a little to let in the first hints of morning light. Even though she technically didn’t need a lot of sleep she never felt fully functioning until the first rays of sunshine touched her skin – even if some days she had to head up above the clouds to get that feeling. Perhaps sunshine to her was like coffee to Cat Grant.

Speaking of which, presenting her with a morning coffee had to be one sure fire way to see that heart warming smile on Cat’s face, which Kara would give anything to see at the moment. She sighed. She had it bad. How inappropriate was it to fall for your boss? She was pretty convinced now that she wanted Cat to know the real her, ALL of her, but the problem was working out how to broach the subject. So she’d decided to start by getting to know her better as a friend, although if she was being honest with herself she had to admit that their relationship had moved beyond a simple boss/assistant one quite some time ago, even before Supergirl was on the scene.

She hopped out of the bed a lot easier than she’d struggled into it last night, and she suddenly remembered her T-shirt. Damn. She couldn’t walk around wearing just that. A quick search through her only remaining bag unearthed a pair of cropped black leggings and a long grey cardigan she’d packed just in case the weather turned. That would have to do, she thought, pulling them on. At least her outfit was a bit less scandalous now. With her glasses firmly in place and her hair pulled back in a rough ponytail she felt like she was a little more safely disguised again.

Before she left the room she paused to stretch out her hearing. The soft, regular breathing from the other girls’ room indicated that they were still sleeping, and she didn’t need super hearing to know that Cat was in the shower - which she tried not to think too hard about. Perfect. Opening the door as quietly as possible, she then used a quick burst of super speed to start the coffee going.

Using super speed never got old, although it did get a little trippy if she used it for prolonged periods and could make her a bit disorientated after a while. She remembered the first time she’d raced a bullet through the muffled world of the speedster, feeling like she was pushing her body through tar as she overtook the rippling air behind the deadly little piece of metal, forcing her hand to close around it before it reached its intended target, followed by the rush as she snapped back into ordinary time. Nope, never got old. She couldn’t make coffee brew faster, though, and she was relieved that she’d finished adding the correct amount of whole milk to her own coffee and skimmed milk to Cat’s just as the shower switched off. She didn’t speed back into the bedroom, not willing to risk spilling the coffee, but she did allow herself to float just half an inch above the floor to make as little noise as possible. No need to disturb Glenda and Kelly just yet.

When Cat stepped out of the bathroom she picked up the unmistakable scent of recently brewed coffee, and so she was already smiling slightly when she walked into the bedroom. Kara was sitting there on the end of the bed, glasses firmly in place and hair tied back, and she couldn’t help but smirk slightly as she caught sight of the Supergirl logo peeking out from beneath her tied cardigan. Sometimes there was no hiding the hero beneath.

“Why good morning, Keira,” she smiled softly at her assistant, inhaling the scent of the coffee she handed to her. “Mmm, excellent as always,” she murmured, and took a sip from the mug, completely failing to notice Kara swallowing hard as she lowered her voice. “And of course it’s hot!” she added, finally looking up at Kara, who smiled in return but said nothing.

“What’s the matter?” Cat asked her. “Cat got your tongue?” And finally, Kara laughed, although slightly hysterically. “It’s ok, I’m allowed to use that pun occasionally,” she reassured her.

“Good morning, Ms Grant,” her assistant began, before Cat waved her into silence, whilst taking another sip of that gorgeous coffee, “Oh please, Kara, we’ve shared a room. I think you can call me Cat in here.” _Pants_ , she thought, _I used the right name again by mistake. I’ve got to be more careful!_ But it was worth it to see Kara splutter as she tried to thank her and drink her own coffee at the same time – it was incredible that somehow she didn’t spill it down herself or on the bed.

“Ms Gr- Cat,” Kara said, as she wiped the coffee from her lip, “Would you like me to leave while you, um, I mean, if you want to, er...” she trailed off into silence, and Cat stared at her for a moment, with no idea what she was stuttering about now. Then it hit her and she remembered that she was wearing only the white bathrobe that had been provided, and she grinned, “Oh! I’m sorry, is this making you uncomfortable? That’s very considerate of you. But I thought perhaps we could talk for a few moments first, since you’ve very kindly brought me this _excellent_ coffee. Where is it from, by the way? I’d like to order some.”

Kara’s face went through a range of expressions remarkably rapidly, before finally settling on ‘vaguely uncomfortable’.  She chose to answer the easiest question: “Oh, the coffee! I got that specially from Peru, there’s a Fairtrade organic alliance there that I’ve had contact with and it was no bother to fly down there and... er, fly them up here,” she finished lamely, and coughed to cover her embarrassment. “It’s fantastic, isn’t it?!”

Cat was trying hard not to laugh again. “I expect the shipping costs weren’t that high, were they?” she asked Kara, with a gleam in her eye. But to save the awkward conversation she carried on before she could answer: “What’s the schedule for today?”

Kara quickly rattled off the programme. “After breakfast we’ve another session with Michaela, before we move to the high ropes course. Then comes lunch, and after that we’ve free time for 90 minutes, followed by bridge building, whatever that is, and then paintballing again before dinner. This evening it just says ‘bonfire’. I’m really looking forward to the high ropes course, I’ve heard it involves a Tarzan swing, how cool is that?!”

“Tarzan swing? How droll. But how high is ‘high’ do you think?” Cat’s heart sank at the thought of having to face her fears in front of her employees. Kara must have heard how she said that a little too nonchalantly because her tone changed. “Don’t worry, Cat,” she reassured her (and managed to use her name as well), “We’ll all be rigged up with safety gear and I’ll be right there. Nothing will happen.” Cat looked into Kara’s deep blue eyes and believed her. Time seemed to freeze as they gazed at each other, until the beep of Kara’s phone broke the moment.

“Sorry,” she muttered, as she grabbed for her phone. “It’s my 6am call.” She read the text that had arrived and seemed pleased, firing off a quick response.

Cat was intrigued. A regular 6am appointment? “Is that a friend of yours?” she asked.

Kara hesitated a moment, clearly wondering what to say, and Cat sought to reassure her by quickly saying, “It’s OK if you’d rather not-”

“No, no. It’s fine,” Kara smiled slightly. “It’s just my sister. She’s... away at the moment. She sends a message at 6am every day to let me know she’s ok.”

“Away...” Cat echoed. “And you don’t know where?” Kara shook her head but said nothing else. “That must be hard.” The look in her assistant’s eyes told her everything she needed to know, and so to take her mind off it she stood up abruptly and clapped her hands together, causing Kara to almost drop the coffee again. “Well! 6am – I take it you’re not going for a run?”

“Oh! No, I prefer to, er, get my workouts in other ways,” she half joked, and Cat couldn’t help but smile at another hint of the truth.

“Well, some of us _do_ need to work out and whist I detest running I think the forest would be perfect for Pilates, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready,” and Cat deliberately made as if to loosen her robe, knowing this would have the desired effect on Kara.

Sure enough Kara turned bright red, rushed around to grab her shower things probably a shade more quickly than should be possible and hurried out to the bathroom, stammering all the way, her mind definitely not on her sister any more.

Cat grinned as she got changed. Sometimes it was good to be her.  


                                                                ---***---***---***---

Five hours later, Kara was fifty feet above the forest floor, being tightly hugged by someone who was thanking her profusely for saving them. Unusually for her, she wasn’t wearing her suit but rather her normal clothes, along with a safety harness and a hard hat. And she wasn’t flying, but rather standing on a small wooden platform at the end of a zipwire, securely harnessed to the safety cables around them. The person currently hugging her was James.

“James! Dial it down a notch, will you?” Kara hissed at him. “All I did was pull you in from the end of the zipwire – I mean, you were barely two feet away from the platform!”

“I know, but, ugh, just hanging there from that tiny wire, with everything rushing beneath me like that, I just panicked!”

“But,” Kara hissed even more quietly, “How is that so different from all the times you’ve been up in the air before with... y’know... You were always fine then!”

“It’s totally different!” James squawked. “When... y’know... I know I won’t be... dropped. But this is just a wire. A _wire!!_ ” He looked and sounded a bit hysterical and his squeaking drew Winn over from the other side of the platform where he was helping people climb down the net rigging onto the next level further down the tree.

Kara patted James’s back sympathetically whilst making _“Help me!”_ eyes at Winn, who took the bait but made the mistake of employing humour to try to get through to his friend. “Dude, with all those muscles, y’know you’d be able to just grab hold of the rope and you’d be fine, right?” James spun round and the look in his eyes was nothing short of murderous. Winn backed off hurriedly, “Well, look, these harnesses are checked every day and all the rigging is checked every week. There’s no way you could fall unless you unfastened yourself, and even that’s not easy.”

“Not helping, Winn!” Kara growled at him as James completely failed to relax his death grip on Kara’s arm.

“Come on, man, I know it’s terrifying being up high but all this gear would never give, and besides, Kara’s here-“

“Great, but what can she do in front of all these people? Call 911 as I plummet to my death?!” James had closed his eyes and was trying to slow his breathing down again. “Hey!” Kara couldn’t help but be a tiny bit hurt by that. “No, I’m sorry, Kara,” James said before she could complain any more, forcing himself to open his eyes again. “I didn’t mean that, it’s just... I didn’t expect the heights to affect me!”

“Everything ok up there?” A deep voice boomed up from the platform underneath. “Do you need a hand?”

“Yes! I mean, no! Ahem. No, it’s fine, David!” James called back down. “I just needed a minute. I’m coming down now.” Kara hid a smile. Men – they just hated looking weak in front of other men. Especially other equally well-muscled men.

James let Winn keep a hand on his harness as he re-hooked him onto the next set of rigging and then helped him begin the climb down the netting towards David. Kara raised the bright yellow flag she’d been left in charge of towards the higher platform in the distance at the top of the zipwire, ready for the next person to descend, as she half-listened to David talking James down the netting. There was something so hugely reassuring about his deep voice, and how he gently persuaded everyone to do what needed to be done, what he knew they could do anyway with just a bit of support. She thought she could learn a thing or two from him.

James wasn’t the only one to be unexpectedly effected by the height of the ropes course that wove through the trees of the forest. Kelly had been the first to have hysterics when faced with having to step out onto a swinging rope bridge, but again David had soothed her and calmed her down, crossing the bridge right in front of her, walking backwards the whole time as he guided her and somehow never putting a foot wrong. He knew these ropes like the back of his hand.

Others were simply loving being up this high and yet fastened in at the same time. Glenda was in her element and Winn and Ed had surprised her by becoming incredibly bold, swinging from the rope netting and bridges like acrobats. Winn in particular had now taken it upon himself to be one of the first across each obstacle so he could help the others across. Kara had tended to follow right behind so they could work as a team.

Cat though... Cat had ended up towards the back of their group and Kara only saw her at the rest points inbetween each obstacle. She hadn’t had hysterics but had barely said a word. To Kara’s keen eyes it looked like she was forcing herself to get through it. She was doing her best to somehow let her boss know she was there for her without actually forcing her to acknowledge in front of all her staff that she was finding this really difficult.

She focussed her attention on the next person coming down the wire and realised it was the lady herself. There were no whoops of joy or shouts of terror coming from her, just grim determination, to judge from the set of her jaw. Unlike James, Cat’s trip down the wire brought her right to the platform, rather than leaving her hanging out in mid-air, and Kara just had to help her stand. Cat took her outstretched arms gratefully, stumbling slightly as she stepped up. Kara caught her and held her as tightly as she dared for a moment. Cat hugged her back and was in no rush to let go. After a few moments she finally loosened her grip and just looked gratefully at Kara before turning and without a word heading grimly over to Winn and the next stage, leaving Kara feeling like her whole body was tingling.  She watched her mentor begin her climb, ignoring all offers of help from Winn, before turning her attention to the zipwire again.

A little while later, the group were clustered around David on a large platform above a clearing. On the other side of the clearing, about 40 or so feet away, was a large net, leading up to another platform. David clipped his harness onto the rigging at the edge of the platform and reached out to take hold of the rope that hung there. Kara hadn’t noticed it before now. For Cat and James’s sakes she was pleased to see that it was reassuringly thick and sturdy-looking. “This,” David intoned, “is the Tarzan Swing. For us it symbolises how ready we are to put our trust in something or someone other than ourselves. One by one, I’ll clip your harness onto the swing rigging, and when you’re ready you’ll push off out into the air. You don’t need to hold onto the rope, although you can if you want to; your harness will bear all your weight and the rope will naturally swing you across right into the net. Then you’ll grab hold of the net and climb up to the next level. We'll re-clip your harness, send the rope back and it will be the next person’s turn. Got it?”

Everyone just looked at him in silence, and he smiled reassuringly to break the tension. “Don’t worry,” he said, “Once you’re all hooked up you’re as safe as can be. Michaela will go first in a moment to show you how it’s done. The rope is secured both on this side and the far platform, and if it happens that you can’t get hold of the net, or you slip, Michaela can pull you up on the rope with the pulley from the other side. Shall we watch her?”

There were a few murmurs of assent but most people just nodded mutely. Cat, Kara noticed, didn’t move at all but just stared at the rope. She wished she could do more to help her. She blinked a few times – her head was aching a bit, which was weird. She told herself it was the tension and the concern for Cat, and pushed it aside.

Michaela, meanwhile, quickly set herself up on the rope swing and with a quick, “Here goes!” she pushed off and swung , whooping across the clearing. She hit the netting with a bit of an “umph!” and grabbed hold, pulling herself up the few feet to the platform with practised ease. She quickly transferred her safety line and released the rope. David reeled it back in from his side and turned with a grin to the group. “Who’s next?” he asked.

Before she could volunteer, Winn called out: “I’ll go first.” The whole group cheered him on, although Cat could barely smile, and James clapped him on the back as he moved over to the swing. David fastened him on and with a “Cowabungaaaaaa!” Winn sailed across the clearing, straight into the netting. Everyone cheered again as he pulled himself up onto the platform, although Ed was too busy laughing at his choice of whoop. He raised his arms in triumph as Michaela re-fastened his safety line and then sent the rope back again.

Kara was surprised to see James hurrying forward to be next. “I’d like to get it over with,” he said seriously to David, who nodded and patted his shoulder as he fastened him in. “You’ll be fine,” he said to the tall man. “Go when you’re ready.” James kept his gaze firmly fixed on the net across the clearing, and after taking a couple of breaths he pushed off. His whoop was more of a quiet, strangled scream, but no one laughed. They all cheered again as he reached the netting and pulled himself up after a false start when he put his foot right through one of the holes by mistake. Kara watched Winn pull him into a tight embrace for a moment when he stood up again, and now James looked elated.

One by one they made their way across with lots of cheers, a few screams, and some laughter when Glenda slipped in the netting and somehow ended up upside down for a moment before Michaela pulled her up. She was grinning broadly by the time she was standing upright again though.

Finally, only Kara and Cat remained on the first platform with David. Kara looked across at Cat and gestured to her to go first but Cat shook her head. “I’d prefer it if you went first,” she forced out through tight lips, looking terrified but determined. “Ok,” Kara replied, unconvincingly, “If you’re sure?”

Cat just nodded. So Kara made her way to David, giving him a bright grin as he swapped her safety line across. Internally, she repeated _don’t fly, don’t fly, don’t fly_ to herself, as she knew her instincts would try to kick in when swinging across the clearing. She lightly gripped the rope, feeling it rough beneath her hands, took a couple of breaths as James had done. On the other side, the whole group began calling to her and reassuring her: “Come on, Kara!” “You can do it!” It feels great!” “Just scream as you let go!” And with that she pushed off.

It wasn’t quite as big a rush as she got from breaking the sound barrier, but it was pretty cool nonetheless, and as she swung across she couldn’t help but yell out: “Whooooooooooo!” and everyone cheered with her. She hit the rope net a little faster than she’d meant to – perhaps she’d shoved off a little too hard – but quickly pulled herself onto the platform, remembering just in time to try to make it look like hard work. Actually, it was slightly harder work than it should have been, and Kara found she was sweating slightly. Weird, she couldn’t be that concerned about Cat, could she? She certainly hadn’t been frightened. Something wasn’t quite right. She made a mental note to speak with James and Winn privately once they were off the course.

It was hugs all round from seemingly everyone on the platform once she was standing again, but she quickly turned her attention to Cat, who she could see was deep in quiet conversation with David. She resisted the urge to listen – this looked private. After a few moments Cat nodded and took the position at the edge of the platform. David patted her arm reassuringly as he fastened her in and passed her the rope, which she gripped as if her life depended on it. Kara did tune in this time when he leaned in close to her ear to tell her, “Remember to breathe,” and Cat nodded grimly, gripping the rope a little harder.

Everyone began to cheer again as she stepped right to the edge of the platform. Even thought she’d tried to hide it, everyone knew that their boss had to be terrified, and she’d earned a lot of respect by pushing through. “Come on Ms. Grant!” “You can do it!” It’ll be over in a moment!” “We’ll catch you!” “You’ll be fine!” After hesitating, Cat took a few breaths, shut her eyes, and pushed off. Everyone whooped as she sailed across the clearing, although Cat herself remained silent. When she hit the netting she reflexively grabbed out at it with her eyes still shut, but missed, swinging out again and spinning round, before coming back in again. This time she grabbed it wildly and finally opened her eyes when she knew she had a good hold. Everyone was still cheering encouragements as she began to shakily pull herself up the few feet to the platform, and Kara was so proud of everyone, cheering on their boss who threatened to fire most of them at least once a week.

Cat was struggling to pull herself up as her arms and legs were shaking too badly from the fear. After she’d managed just one rung she stopped, clinging onto the ropes, breathing heavily. Everyone cheered her on again and Kara could see that her boss was really trying to hold back from yelling at them all from the stress. ”I’m fine!” She snapped, without looking up at them. “Really I am! I appreciate all your concern but don’t you have better things to do?!” To their credit though, everyone kept on encouraging her, but Cat seemed to have reached an impasse. Finally, Michaela re-clipped her own safety line to the top of the netting and knelt down, leaning down to Cat, but she was just out of reach.  Michaela was talking softly to her, but Cat just cling on, refusing to move, repeating over and over: “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

Michaela called out quietly to Cat that she was going to climb down to her, but Kara leaned across to ask, “Can I go down instead? She really trusts me.” Michaela hesitated, unsure, and made some signals across the clearing to David, who was stuck there without the rope. He must have agreed because Michaela nodded and helped her move the safety line. Kara knelt down beside her. “Cat,” she called softly, and the older woman briefly flicked her eyes up towards Kara, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge her. “Cat,” Kara repeated, knowing most of the group couldn’t hear them over the cheering. “I’m going to come down to you, OK? And then we’ll come up here together. Alright?” That last part was really aimed at Michaela, who paused a moment to check the safety line, before nodding. So, to more calls of encouragement, Michaela helped Kara back over the edge, and she carefully made her way down and across until she was directly next to Cat.

Close to, Kara could see how thoroughly terrified Cat was. There was no way she was going to force her to do this. No, the only way would be to talk her through it and get her to trust her. She leaned in close to her boss, her friend, and talked quietly so only she could hear her. “Cat,” she said again. “I’m right here next to you. You don’t need to say anything. Just nod if you can hear me.” After a moment Cat nodded slightly.

“OK, that’s really good,” Kara carried on, trying to talk as if they were just standing in the office, not hanging from a net nearly 30 feet above the floor. “I’m right here. You know you’ve done great – everyone has. Just listen to them all cheering you on,” and indeed, the noise level had risen again as they watched the hapless PA climb down to her boss. But somehow this didn’t have quite the desired effect on Cat, who mumbled something. Kara had been listening to the cheering from above and missed it. “Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that,” she said, trying to keep a positive tone in her voice.

Cat repeated herself, only just at a humanly audible level, which suited Kara fine, “I _said_ : they’ve all seen me fail.” And she didn’t think she was imagining the hint of a tear beginning at the corner of the older woman’s eye, which was suddenly blinking rapidly.

“Nonsense,” Kara replied, deciding to take a leaf out of her boss’s book and now adopting a brusque, business-like tone. “They’ve all seen how much you’ve hated being up here; how it’s nearly killed you to step out onto each bridge. Then they watched you swing over here despite being terrified. Now they’re watching you gather yourself before the last push. Are you feeling gathered?”

This seemed to have the desired effect on Cat who, despite her situation, snorted a laugh. “I feel like I’ve heard those words before, Ms Danvers,” she replied, even managing a weak smile.

“I only learn from the best,” Kara replied, watching Cat’s face carefully for signs of changing emotion. The pounding of her boss’s heart resounded in her ears and Kara knew she was doing well to still be hanging on. “Now, you’re strapped in,” she continued, “You’re gathered. You know that if you just let go they’ll pull you up to the top through your harness, right?” The look on Cat’s face told her that she’d forgotten that, which wasn’t surprising, but she still didn’t relax.

“I have to do this,” Cat hissed, “I have to show them that I can do it.”

“We all know you can,” Kara insisted, “You don’t need to prove it.”

“I do,” Cat replied, more forcefully, and Kara was pleased she was getting some emotion besides fear out of her. “I have to do this – for me, not for them. I want to show myself I can do it.”

And Kara understood. This was a test of character for Cat, who always pushed herself to the limits and beyond. “OK then,” she said slowly. “I’m going to climb up with you - is that alright?”

“Of course,” Cat replied, and finally she looked at Kara. “I know you’ve got me.” Kara’s heart leapt suddenly at those words, and she tried again to forget the inexplicable trickle of sweat that was sliding down under her hardhat and the ache that was resounding within her skull. She would be fine. They both would be.

Cat coughed gently and continued, “The thing is, I’ve tangled myself in the safety line and I’m not sure I can reach down to sort it.”

 Kara looked down, and could see that Cat’s line had somehow ended up tangled around one of her legs. She called up to Michaela: “Ms. Grant’s line’s got tangled in the rope: is it ok for me to unhook her and clip her back onto my line? We’re going to climb up together.”

Michaela surveyed the line quickly and ran through different scenarios in her head before agreeing. She gave Kara careful instructions on how to swap the line over the safely, and presently Cat was secured to her own harness. Kara leaned in to her friend’s ear again and said quietly: “We’re ready when you are. We’ll go at your pace. You’re secured to me and I’m secured to the rigging. Let’s move just one arm or leg at a time. Ready?”

And finally, Cat nodded, unable to speak any more. Slowly, oh so slowly, they moved gradually up towards the platform. Kara watched Cat carefully to make sure she didn’t slip, and wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed around her own hairline – it wouldn’t help Cat to see those now. What was wrong with her?

The group cheered them on all the way, and one foot and hand at a time they gradually reached the edge of the platform, and Michaela reached down to pull Cat up the final part. James in turn reached down to pull Kara up, who was really grateful because she suddenly felt pretty weird and shaky. James must have noticed because he looked at her closely and quietly asked, “Hey, are you ok?” Kara quickly shook her head, which turned out to be a mistake as the world spun slightly, and said, “I’m fine, let’s just get down to the ground again.”

“Oooookay.” James wasn’t convinced. “Stay there a sec and I’ll get Winn.” He gently squeezed his way between enthusiastic people to find Winn, as Kara leant on a post for support. Ed bent down to unfasten her safety line and reclip it to the main rigging as Cat turned to face Kara to thank her, and her expression suddenly was full of concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, ignoring Michaela’s insistence that she needed to swap her line over. “Are you-?”

“I don’t feel-” Kara started, but suddenly the world swam around her and her knees buckled. She stepped back to regain her balance but unfortunately stepped right out into space. She remembered just in time that she was supposed to fall and so let herself go – not that she felt like she had a lot of choice at that moment. Thinking was hard. She caught sight of Ed’s face filled with horror as her safety line whipped out of his hand, and saw Cat, too, desperately reaching out towards her, trying to pull her back in. Cat’s finger’s closed around thin air. But it didn’t matter, as they were still roped together.

Kara couldn’t really comprehend all of this, but she realised that both she and Cat were falling and she had just enough of her wits still to reach out and pull Cat towards her. Only someone with superspeed would have managed to pull her in and wrap their arms around them in time, keeping their own body underneath as the ground rushed towards them. She shielded Cat as best she could from the fall, preparing herself to absorb the shock.

When they landed, she felt it far more than she should have and the world swam out of focus again. When it came back into focus she saw Cat standing above her, holding a cut hand but otherwise looking fine. She must have unfastened the line. David was hurrying across the clearing to them. She could hear shouts and heard a lot of noise but couldn’t filter it out. Kara looked at Cat blankly as she talked to her, unable to make out the words. Cat looked beside herself, but Kara couldn’t tell if it was because she was angry or upset. Finally Cat knelt down and gently shook Kara, who still just gazed dazedly around her. Everything felt so... floaty. And she felt a bit sick too, which wasn't good. What had happened? Cat suddenly stood up quickly, then knelt back down again and began feeling around in the leaves with her good hand, finally coming up with a sharp pointed rock. A sharp, pointed, slightly glowing _green_ rock, Kara noted with horror, and she tried to push away from it, scrabbling ineffectually at the leaves.

Cat looked between her assistant’s pain-stricken face and the accursed rock that she’d cut her hand on. Kara was staring at that rock like it had bitten her. She quickly put two and two together and made four and threw the rock as far away from Kara as she could. Her assistant’s face instantly eased, and she seemed to look about her with more focus. “What...” Kara started, and Cat knelt down to place her hands on her shoulders. “What happened? Did you throw it away? We have to find it and get rid of it. My sister... Lucy...”

“OK, let me have a look,” David had arrived and he quickly assessed both Kara and Cat. “The ground here’s deliberately very soft but you still fell nearly 30 feet. Ms. Grant, are you alright? It looked as though Ms. Danvers cushioned your fall...” He left the unspoken question hanging in the air and Cat suddenly realised that he knew, as well. “I might ache a bit tomorrow,” she said, “And I cut my hand on that rock, but otherwise I’m fine. Tend to Kara.” She managed to stop just short of pleading with the last few words, and David nodded.

He checked Kara over, while Cat waved up to the platform of anxious people above to reassure them that she was fine. With David’s help Kara stood up, albeit a little shakily, and when she waved too everyone cheered again. Michaela called down that she was going to see everyone safely off the course after the next bridge, and David called back that he’d take the two invalids to their First Aid hut.

Cat, who was feeling much better back on terra firma, stalked over to where she’d thrown the weird pointy rock and scooped it up again, peering at it closely. Was it _glowing_? She looked over to Kara, who looked more herself now, and found that she was staring at the rock in her hands with worry etched on her face. Cat’s injured hand tingled and she frowned. What was this rock, and why had it affected Kara?

She had a feeling she’d find out soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist! 
> 
> Thanks for all your encouragement and Kudos, everyone.  
> I think this will run to about 10 chapters, then there may be a sequel if I have time to keep working on it. You'll see why later on...


	7. Storm on the Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm brewing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay - lots of different factors have meant I've not had a lot of time to work on this recently. Expect the next chapter in the next 2 weeks :)
> 
> Once again - I own none of this and this is a work of fanfiction.
> 
> Being in the UK we can't watch the new season of Supergirl properly yet, but I've seen clips online. The interaction between Cat and Kara in episode 2, especially where Cat tells her she "sees the hero inside her" is pretty close to their interaction so far in this fanfic, which I found interesting!

Kara looked at the phone screen in her hand, deep in thought. Her head was back to normal now and the aches and nausea had vanished as soon as James had taken the Kryptonite away to stash somewhere safe. Her mind had been a bit hazy at the time, but she remembered Cat had been pretty reluctant to give up the poisonous rock. Her tall friend had reasoned quietly with her until finally Cat had handed it over, after a quick glance in her direction. She didn’t know what he’d said but she could guess Cat knew the green crystal was to blame for their fall. She had no idea what she’d say to her when she asked about it, as she surely would. She hadn’t got to be the Queen of all Media without being curious.

Kara sighed and slumped back in her chair. They’d been making so much progress and she was so close to telling Cat everything and confirming all that she surely knew. She didn’t want to hide who she was anymore. Not from Cat. But what was she going to do now? Lucy had been clear on the phone that Kryptonite was top secret and it should stay that way. Agent Vasquez was on her way over now to collect it. Kara wondered what she’d come as this time – a representative from the US Geological Survey Team, perhaps?

She poked at the remains of her sandwich, deep in thought. Her usually prodigious appetite had abandoned her as she lost herself in her memories for a while. Falling was bad enough on its own, but taking Cat down with her? Would she be angry with her? Or worse – frightened of her? She buried her face in her hands as another memory resurfaced: the look in her boss’s eyes after the red kryptonite incident. Cat had been terrified of her then – even if she claimed to have gotten over it quickly. The last thing Kara wanted was for this to remind her of that. And Cat had been doing so well! She’d made it to the top and everyone had been cheering her – and then Kara went and did this.

She felt close to tears as she fretted over her boss’s reaction. Somewhere out there everyone else was enjoying some free time before their next activity, but she’d told Winn and James she wanted to be alone for a bit. They’d protested but given in eventually – they’d seen that look in her eyes before.

The sound of the door opening pulled her suddenly out of her reverie and she started upright, quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and replacing her glasses in a hurry.

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Falling Star herself,” declared the woman of her dreams as she entered their cabin and slammed the door behind her. Her arm was in a sling and she had a bit of dirt on her cheek but she looked otherwise fine. The dirt was that was somehow adorable on her, as she was usually so immaculate. Cat paced back and forward in front of the door for a moment and Kara actually forgot to breathe as she waited for the tirade that was surely to follow. After a few moments, Cat turned abruptly to face her.

“I don’t suppose you’re going to explain to me what happened to you?” she spat out. “One moment you were rescuing me from that damn net and the next moment you were…” she paused for a moment to gather herself and Kara’s eyes widened slightly. The older woman swallowed, and continued, “The next moment you were falling.”

They looked at each other in silence and Kara wished, not for the first time, that she shared J’onn’s telepathic powers.

Cat seemed to mentally shake herself. “And then I was falling with you.” Kara looked away, not trusting her emotions right now.

“What was that rock?” Cat blurted out suddenly. Kara shifted slightly but kept looking at the floor. Cat sighed and said, a little more gently, “It affected you somehow didn’t it? It made you… sick?” Kara looked up at that but still said nothing, not knowing what she could possibly say. Her boss made a little growling noise in the back of her throat, and tried again: “That rock made both of us fall – don’t you think I deserve to know? Don’t you trust me now? I trusted you on that accursed net!”

“Ms Grant, I… That’s not it. I swear, it’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s really not. I… I trust you with anything, I mean… it’s just this one isn’t entirely mine to share.”

“Why not?!” Cat exploded. “Why in God’s name would you feel unable to share the truth about this stupid rock when you’ve shared… when you’ve shared…” She tailed off and just looked at Kara, who looked back. The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

After what felt like an eternity of looking at each other, Cat cleared her throat, and her voice was gentle now. “Are you ok now?” she asked quietly.

Kara was thrown by this change of tack. “Wh- I… Yes. Yes, I feel fine again now. It… I’m fine. Back to normal. Thank you.” She paused, then continued, “And you? Ms Grant, are you ok? Your arm – is it serious?”

“Cat.” Her boss said.

“What?”

“I told you to call me Cat when we’re not at work. Do you know, you just saved me. Twice. I think you can still call me Cat. Even if that’s all in a day’s work for you,” and Cat gave her a small smile as she moved to sit down on the couch.

But her attempt at humour practically made a whistling noise as it flew over Kara’s head, so focussed was she on the rest of Cat’s words. “I…” she started, then cleared her suddenly dry throat and tried again. “I don’t know what you mean. Saved you? I pulled you over the platform with me! We fell thirty feet! That’s the opposite of saving – and, and I’m so sorry, I didn’t know what was happening to me and I wasn’t expecting to, to… to fall.” Her voice cracked on the last word and she swallowed hard, fighting back the tears again.

Cat just looked at her for a moment, then shrugged off her jacket and shuffled sideways on the couch, patting the cushion next to her. “Sit down,” she ordered gently. And Kara did, although she settled herself a little farther away than Cat had indicated. “I can’t say that taking a nosedive onto the forest floor was on my to-do list for today,” she went on, “Although it did at least get me back onto terra firma, if slightly more suddenly than I was expecting.” Kara managed a weak smile at that but kept her eyes on the ground, not trusting herself to speak again yet.

When the younger girl made no response Cat sighed slightly and edged closer to her on the seat, leaning across to place her good hand on her knee. That made her look up. “Listen,” she said, “No one has ever talked me down like that before when I’ve… panicked. It’s usually all on me. I just have to wait until I can breathe deep enough to make myself do it. I’m not a quitter,” she paused, and gazed into middle distance for a moment before continuing, “…but I do find it hard to let go sometimes.” She looked back at her assistant, who was listening intently. “You calmed me down, and we made it back up that God-forsaken netting all the way to the damn top, and everyone saw us do that. Saw _me_ do that. That was important for me. So… thank you. I thought this, all this,” she leaned back and gestured expansively with her left arm, “Was a complete and utter waste of time and resources, but maybe… Maybe,” she held up one finger, “Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.” She grimaced suddenly as a thought struck her. “Ugh, people aren’t going to be walking around my offices _helping_ each other all the time when we get back, are they?”

Finally, Kara laughed. It was rare to see Cat let her guard down like this, and especially surprising, given the circumstances. “I’m glad I could help you then, and I’d do it again,” she said, watching Cat’s face carefully. “But hopefully not quite like that again.” She leaned forward, towards her friend, as she carried on earnestly, “I’m so sorry for taking you down with me. It came out of nowhere and I had no idea what was causing it. I thought I’d be alright, but…” she trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence. She leaned forward towards Cat this time as she tried to explain. “When I realised you were falling with me… I tried to catch you, I really did, and I hoped you wouldn’t be hurt, but thinking was hard, and your hand-“

“What, this?” Cat waved the gift-wrapped arm. “Oh, they insisted I wear this stupid sling for some ridiculous Health & Safety reason. I don’t need it,” and she reached up and untied the offending object with her good hand, ripping the fabric off and tossing it on the floor. There was a crisp white bandage around the middle of her hand, but that was it. “That rock-that-must-not-be-named was sharp alright though,” she continued, looking pointedly at her assistant. Kara shifted uneasily but said nothing. “It was a very narrow cut but apparently pretty deep, although everything seems to be working fine,” and she waggled her fingers to prove it, “So the nurse wasn’t too concerned. I’ve been _instructed_ not to use it much for the next 24 hours though, and if it starts bleeding again they want me to go get it checked. As if I’d set foot in one of those pestilence-ridden places.” And she pulled a face at the thought. “You did catch me,” she said, and she flashed a smiled at Kara again, “And I was really fine, if a bit winded.”

Kara laughed again. “I’m glad it’s not too serious, but I really am sorry. Ah!” she held up a hand to stave off Cat’s interruption. “That was the last apology, I promise. Probably the last, anyway. Thanks for being so understanding. I’m glad you’re OK.”

The expression on Cat’s face was comical. “Did you just _shush_ me?!” she demanded, half outraged and half amused.

“Oh, come on,” Kara laughed and grinned broadly, “If I can drag you off a platform I think I can shush you occasionally!”

“Absolutely no one shushes me!” Cat objected, still slightly stunned. Where had her mild-mannered Personal Assistant disappeared to recently? Not that she was complaining, but nobody else would get away with that…

“But I think I just did!” Kara retorted, grinning all the more widely. She felt a lot better now.

“Well.” Cat was nearly speechless. “Well. I wasn’t expecting that. And you shouldn’t expect to get away with it again!” she added quickly.

“Surprises are good now and then! I certainly wasn’t expecting to fall for you today. WITH YOU. Fall with you. To… fall… off the… with you,” Kara sputtered helplessly whilst Cat sat stunned yet again.

Where had THAT come from?! Kara yelled at herself internally, and tried to cover. “I didn’t mean, that is. Wow. Look at the time! We’ll be late for the bridge building! I’ll just go and get my…”

Cat just stared, truly speechless now, and wondered if Kara realised she blurred slightly as she rushed around the cabin to grab her jacket and bag, before heading straight out the door without another word. How that girl had kept her secret for so long she had no idea.

 

***---***---***

 

“Alright, everyone, gather round!” David’s deep voice boomed out across the clearing, and the CatCo group drew in a little closer. “You’ve been split into your two groups again, but this time you’re not competing. On my right and on my left you can see two piles of resources. Your challenge is to complete a working bridge that will span from the starting point there to the end point there,” and he gestured at two slightly raised platforms about 25 feet apart. “This bridge must be free-standing with no additional support from team members. The walking surface must be raised at least three feet off the ground at all times. Red Team, you’ll be starting with these resources on my left, and Blue Team you’ll be starting with the other pile. You’ll begin building your bridge from opposite ends and it must meet in the middle.”

He paused to look around at the group, who looked thoughtful and, in some cases, doubtful. “In order to ensure that your bridge is strong and working at the end of this exercise you will all be expected to cross from one end to the other with your bridge remaining intact.” A few more people looked doubtful at that and he clapped his hands together, “OK! You have an hour and a half to plan and construct your bridge. Michaela and I are on hand to make sure nothing unsafe is taking place but we cannot advise you on construction. Begin!”

Both groups rushed to their opposite sides of the clearing and started rifling through the piles of materials to see what they could do. Cat hung back for a few moments and observed. Strictly speaking, she was part of the Blue team, but Michaela had given her strict instructions not to use her hand at all, so she felt justified in watching for a bit. There was a bit of a breeze today, and she tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear to keep it out of her eyes. On the Red side, James appeared to have become the de facto leader and was instructing pairs to look for specific items. Winn was carefully noting down exactly what they had. On their side, Glenda was ordering everyone to bring the larger items over to a separate pile so they could more easily see what they had to work with. Two pairs quickly got busy rolling empty oil drums and tyres. She strolled towards her group, looking for Kara. Her assistant suddenly popped up from behind the assorted pile, where she’d been crouched. “Ms Grant!” she called in greeting, looking pleased but nervous to see her again. “Are you taking part in this? I thought you’d just be watching because of your, um, injury?”

“I am fully capable of participating without the use of my hand, Keira,” Cat responded. “Naturally, I’ll be directing our operations, despite whatever Glenda thinks.”

This coaxed a smile out of Kara, who was happy to be back on the safe ground of boss and assistant, however briefly. “I’m sure Glenda was just getting us started,” she replied, absent-mindedly picking up a large tyre in each hand, and gesturing towards the rest of the group with one of them. “Starting off with separate piles of stuff is a good idea, don’t you think? The Reds are doing something similar,” she paused and got a faraway look in her eyes. “Although I hope one of the girls was a Scout because it turns out none of the boys over there know how to tie a knot!” Cat realised she must have been listening in to the others, and smirked slightly. Then she looked again at Kara. “Ah, Keira,” she said thoughtfully, “Aren’t those tyres kind of… heavy?”

“What, these?” Kara looked down bewildered. “No, not at all. They’re hardly- ” she stopped suddenly as she caught side of one of the others _rolling_ one of the large old tyres and looking like it was hard going. Immediately she dropped both of hers. “Oh! Yes, wow! They’re really heavy aren’t they?” she said slightly louder than necessary. “Ugh, boy is my back aching now – talk about a workout!” And she picked up a fairly lightweight looking coil of rope instead and trotted over to the others.

Cat rolled her eyes and went to find Glenda and put her straight.

The minutes ticked by and Cat was surprised to find that bridge-building was actually kind of engrossing. There was something quite satisfying in creating something physical that took actual effort to put together. 45 minutes in, their bridge segment was about 6 feet long and they were getting into their stride. She noticed, however, that the Red bridge was rather higher than theirs and she headed across to speak with James.

“I wonder how you expect our bridge to work when they aren’t at the same height as each other?” she asked without preamble.

James put down the plank he was carrying and looked at the half-finished bridge for a long moment. “You’re right,” he said finally, and Cat was surprised he didn’t protest. “Maybe we should have worked together from the start to make sure they were the same.” He stretched his back and rolled his shoulders as he thought. “Well, we haven’t time to start over – I guess we’ll have to create some kind of sloping central portion to fix it. Shall I get Ed to work on something? He’s figured out how to join everything else together on our side.”

“That sounds like a solution,” Cat agreed, smarting slightly that she hadn’t been the one to suggest it. “I’ll ask Glenda to work with him.”

James frowned. “But aren’t we supposed to work separately?” he asked.

“If you’d been properly paying attention you’d have remembered that our instructions were only to begin with our own resources,” she snapped. “I fail to see why we can’t now share.”

James nodded and went to get Ed. At the edge of the clearing, David smiled.

 

About an hour in, David had a call through on his radio and he disappeared for a few minutes. He returned with Agent Vasquez in tow and Kara was very relieved to see her. Much to her amusement the agent was dressed from head to toe in khaki and carrying a clipboard and rucksack. After David introduced her to Michaela, he gestured in Kara’s direction and Vasquez headed over.

“Let me guess,” Kara deadpanned. “US Geological Survey Team?”

Vasquez merely raised an eyebrow. “Why yes, that’s correct, ma’am. You would be a Miss Kara Danvers, correct?” she asked, appearing to consult her clipboard.

Damn, the agent was good. Kara played along. “Yes that’s me. Can I help you?”

“I understand you and your friends found a very interesting rock earlier? I’ve been shown the sample and early field tests indicate it’s a rare fluorescing feldspar crystal. Could you please show me where it was found? It’s of particular use in the wristwatch industry and it could be there are other examples nearby.”

Kara was stunned by this flawless performance which gave all the cover they needed for a private conversation. “Sure,” she replied. “It’s right this way.” And she led Vasquez down the nearby path towards the high ropes course. A couple of people watched them go, but no one seemed particularly interested. Once the agent was confident they were clear she stopped and turned to Kara and produced an interesting looking instrument from her backpack. “Sorry about that, Ma’am,” she muttered. “Can’t be too careful.”

“Of course,” Kara tried to exude Supergirl confidence, but in truth she was still rattled by the unexpected Kryptonite. “What does that do?” she asked, gesturing at the device.

“It’s something new that Agent Danvers was working on before she… left. I just need to scan it over you to make sure there’s no residual Kryptonite on your body. It’ll also help me to determine if there are any other K-sources nearby. May I?” she indicated Kara.

The superhero nodded, and Vasquez slowly passed the black device over her, concentrating on the screen readouts. After a moment she nodded and popped the thing back in her pack. “You’re clean, Ma’am. It only has a range of 300m so it’s of limited use, but better than nothing. I already checked the site where it was found and there are no other sources nearby.”

Kara sagged in relief. She’d been slightly anxious that they were somehow sitting on top of a huge deposit of the stuff, maybe from an old meteorite strike. “Thanks, Vasquez,” she smiled at the agent. “Any ideas where it came from then? Was it a lone meteorite?”

Vasquez looked thoughtful. “We’ll have to examine in thoroughly back at the DEO, of course, but based on my initial examination I would suggest that this was part of a larger meteorite and this segment was broken off.”

“Broken off?” Kara didn’t like the sound of that. “As in: accidentally or deliberately?”

“We don’t know that yet Ma’am, but it could easily have been accidental, or broken off from a larger fragment upon entering our atmosphere. That would suggest that there could be other small fragments around, despite my search not turning anything up yet.”

Kara pulled a face.  “I hate that this can make me so sick so quickly. Non and Aunt Astra were able to come up with a defence so quickly – why don’t we have anything like that for me yet?”

“I wouldn’t know, Ma’am,” Vasquez answered neutrally. “I do know that Non and Astra had a team of Kryptonian scientists working on this, with all the benefits of their native knowledge and technology. I’m sure in time we’ll develop something similar.”

This didn’t cheer up Kara. “Huh. If only I’d been farther ahead in my own studies before I came here, then maybe I could be of some use.”

Vasquez straightened up at that. “Ma’am. I don’t think I would ever use the word “useless” to describe you, Ma’am.”

“Oh I know, Vasquez, I just wish I could be of some help with this whole Myriad thing. I know Non’s been quiet for some weeks now but he’s just got to be plan-“

Suddenly Vasquez dropped out of attention, looking more casual, and interrupted her. “It’s like I said: that storm is going to be heading this way this evening. We’re expecting it to make landfall in National City around 1900 hours so you can expect it by the end of the night.”

“Wha- I… storm?”

Vasquez made an almost imperceptible shift with her eyes over Kara’s shoulder and suddenly the penny dropped. “Ah, yes! Well, thanks for letting me know, do I need to tell anyone? Do you know if there preparations in place for National City in case of flooding or, or high winds or anything?” she tried to speak to Vasquez with her eyes, willing her to tell her if she might need to head back there tonight to help.

Vasquez nodded slightly before replying. “I’ve heard that everything is under control, ma’am, and as it’ll be low tide this evening they’re not expecting any flooding events. I understand relief crews are on hand in case of wind damage, and I know the bridge will be closed to high-siders from 1700 hours. It’s certainly no hurricane, but they’re anticipating a pretty fierce storm.”

“Then you’d better be getting back before the storm hits,” came a voice from behind them, and Kara thought her jump was quite realistic. She wondered if Cat had overheard anything important before Vasquez had changed tack.

“Yes ma’am, I’ve got everything I need now. The USGS can always send a team another time to do a thorough survey of the area.”

“I’m sure. That must be a pretty rare fluorescing feldspar,” Cat drawled.

“There certainly aren’t many examples of its kind,” Vasquez deadpanned, gathering up her equipment and starting back towards the clearing. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to thank your host and start making my way back.”

Kara and Cat followed in silence, back towards the noise and bustle of the clearing. The bridge sections were nearly finished now and the two teams were hurrying to make sure the whole thing wouldn’t just collapse when someone stood on it. Currently this appeared to involve making Kelly hop up and down on one end, whilst Ed and two of the others ran round frantically tying knots.

As Vasquez made her goodbyes and set off, the two women returned to their group and Kara was amused to see that Winn’s hair was looking slightly deranged, no doubt due to the number of times he’d run his hands through it.

“I’m the tech guy, remember?!” he was currently yelling. “What part of tech involves knots or joists?!”

James calmed him down by giving him the job of supervising test walks over the bridge.

In what seemed like no time at all, David blew his whistle and the two teams ground to a halt.

“I’m pleased to see you discovered that you could work together, despite starting off as separate. There is almost always a benefit to us if we share what we have and share our strengths with others.”

A few in the group nodded, and Cat just looked at him. She wouldn’t nod that easily – she knew all this stuff already.

“Are you confident in your bridge?” David was continuing. There were nods and a few mumbled “Yeah…”.

“You don’t sound very confident. Have you built a good bridge?” He asked again.

“Yes!” People responded more loudly.

“Excellent. Then you’ll be happy for your CEO to walk across it.” This was a statement rather than a question.

Everyone looked a bit unsure now, but Cat simply strolled nonchalantly to one end, strode across without hesitating, and came to stand in front of David. The bridge had barely creaked. “Anything else?” she asked David.

The group cheered and even Cat smiled as David grinned at them.

“Alright then, good work!” he called once the noise had died down. “Then you’ve got a half hour or so to get ready for round 2 of paintballing. I’ll see you at the base then to get you all kitted out.”

Clapping each other on the bag and chatting excitedly, the group went their separate ways to get changed.

 

***---***---***---***

 

Two hours later, Kara was crouched once again in the bunker with Glenda and Cat. She was praying fervently to Rao that she didn’t get paint on her clothes or no one would allow her on the bus tomorrow, now that she didn’t have any spares. Hopefully her coveralls wouldn’t let her down. Cat had been allowed to participate but not to use a paint rifle, because of her injured hand. To say that this had displeased her would be putting it mildly. But to give her credit she’d thrown herself into the role of General instead, and had been making her way surprisingly stealthily from one Blue group to the next, giving orders and scouting the area.

The breeze had gotten stronger and the day had turned grey and cool so they were all glad for their extra layer of protection.  There were only 15 minutes of play left and neither team had yet managed to secure the other’s flag, as it seemed they were fairly evenly matched. Things had started good naturedly but it had turned a little vicious in the last half hour and both teams were down to just 8 people now. It was time for a final assault and Cat was finishing briefing the two of them on their role.

“So like last time, there’s going to be a diversion – or rather two diversions – and one genuine assault. This time the others are providing the diversion, and you two are going to be the ones to get the flag. When you hear the signal, you run straight from your hiding place towards the Red bunker, get the flag and throw yourselves back into hiding. Let the others cover you back to base. DO NOT stop to return fire unless you can make a clean shot whilst still running. Got it?”

Glenda nodded grimly. She still felt responsible for their loss last time and she’d been fierce in this match, painting two Reds herself. Kara nodded as well. She’d yet to score a hit but had covered Glenda and Cat while they made it to the side bunker. “We’ve got it, Cat,” she answered, ignoring Glenda’s strangled cough as she used their boss’s first name. “We’ll do exactly what you say.”

“Make sure you do,” Cat hissed. “I don’t want any cock-ups like last time. No getting distracted! Keep your eye on the prize and not on… anything else,” she finished, looking at Kara, who blushed. There was no way Cat knew she’d been watching her last time, surely?

“Yes Ma’am!” Glenda saluted. She was getting way too into this in Kara’s opinion. “Yes Cat!” she responded instead, and was rewarded with a smile from the older blonde that made her heart sing.

“OK!” Cat clapped her hands together and winced. She’d forgotten about the bandages and her hand still stung. Not that she’d tell anyone that, but she could see that Kara had noticed her expression and she continued swiftly. “Let’s get to the doorway and wait for the first signal.”

The three of them pulled their protective masks down and Kara and Glenda hefted their paint guns. Creeping through the door of the concrete shelter, they hunkered down at the corner and waited for the signal to move. After less than a minute they heard: “GLENDA! What the hell are you doing?! Get your ass back here!” And a gentle shove from Cat had the three of them scurrying uphill, low to the ground, and into a clump of bushes and shrubs about 30 metres away. The noise of the forest swaying in the wind masked their movement, as there was a flurry of activity further down the hill as two of their team drew fire away from them. From the shouts it sounded like at least one or two more people were out. But they’d reached their target so they could move to the next phase.

Kara silently watched Cat taking in their field of play. There was no doubt about it – she was a master strategist. She couldn’t wait until she let her play Settlers of Catan again. Carter was good, but Cat would surely be a real challenge.

The girls shifted into comfortable positions, and Kara once again resisted the urge to use her X-ray vision to find out just what was happening. After just two of three minutes longer they heard the second pre-agreed signal: “CHARGE!!” And two Blues started heading straight up the hill, whilst another snuck round from the opposite side to Cat and her two lieutenants. The Reds predictably sent a couple of their team forward into the trees to fend off the attackers, while the others waited back, sensing a distraction.

Glenda shifted uneasily, making to stand, but Cat put a hand on her shoulder, hissing, “Not yet…” and she crouched back down. Kara tightened her grip on her gun and made ready to move. Sure enough, after less than a minute, there were new shouts from the Reds: “Sneak attack from the side! Defenders to me!” and the yells moved off towards the second distraction. Kara and Glenda were up and running, and Kara couldn’t help but snort as she knew that that shout had to have been from Winn – only he would treat this like a Dungeons and Dragons game.

Glenda’s breath was coming fast and Kara mimicked her as they ran hard uphill, but still slightly crouched. When they crested the hill there it was: the Red flag, with only a single defender, and she was facing the wrong way. Before Kara could think to shoot, Glenda had fired three shots and all three painted her target in blue. She cried out as she dropped her gun and Kara knew the noise would bring the remaining Reds running, so she darted forward and grabbed the little flag, yanking it unceremoniously out of its stand. Then the pair of them turned tail and ran back down towards their base, ducking and weaving when they remembered.

They were nearly at the bottom of the hill and the Blue base was in sight when Glenda suddenly stumbled. Kara grabbed her and pulled her upright, but she winced. “I went over on my ankle,” she grimaced. “It’s not serious but I don’t think I can run. You go!” And she made to push Kara and the flag towards their base. Suddenly strong hands gripped them both, and Cat began propelling the two of them as fast as Glenda could limp towards base.

“Come on, you two idiots, we’re not going to lose now! It’s just over a hundred yards!”

“Go on without me! I'm just slowing you down!” Glenda protested.

“Don’t be an imbecile,” Cat retorted. “This isn’t _Saving Private Ryan_! Come on!”

They stumbled towards the base but the Reds were gaining and a couple of paintballs whizzed past them to splatter on nearby trees. Then a shout came from ahead and their rear guard came running out to meet them, firing paintballs back at the Reds, who scattered slightly to take cover.

The three amigos stumbled on, Kara supporting Kelly and Cat trying to shield them both from stray paintballs. Somehow, miraculously, they finally made it over the marker into the base, and all three of them started leaping (or hopping) about madly. Even Cat was overcome by the situation and the three of them were pulled into a group hug by their benched team members who’d been waiting, weaponless, in the base.

A whistle sounded and there were cheers and groans all round.

Cat was thrilled: one apiece! She hoped there’d be a re-match tomorrow. Michaela appeared seemingly from just the other side of the base and immediately sat Glenda down to inspect her ankle, whilst David called the others together into one big group. She pushed her visor up on her head rather than pulling it right off, using it to hold her hair in place. The wind was definitely getting stronger. James, Winn, Kelly and the other reds joined them all, looking disgruntled for losing but impressed at their tactics, to judge by Winn’s wittering. Kelly was scowling, looking down at the three blue paint splats on her chest and Cat had no doubt Glenda would be getting an earful later. She had to give it to her though, the girl was a good shot! She wondered if she’d ever considered taking up competitive paintball…

She tuned back in to what David was saying and nodded as she heard they had slightly over an hour now before dinner. “…so there’ll be no bonfire tonight because of the winds,” David continued. “And I do ask to make sure you bring any outdoor furniture back into your cabins as we don’t want anything blowing away. There’ll be a few changes to our schedule because of the weather but I’ll brief you on that at dinner. See you all at 7!”

As the group dispersed, Cat absent-mindedly rubbed her injured hand. She wished it would stop stinging so much. Before following her assistant to the cabin she looked up at the trees and wondered what the storm would bring them tonight. Well, they'd soon know. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. Thanks for being patient. In the next chapter the storm hits and we'll see how everyone deals with it. 
> 
> Thanks for the encouragement, comments and Kudos!


	8. Hot and bothered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat starts to feel the effects of the Kryptonite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought some of you might need cheering up after the election, so here you go!

**Chapter 8**

Dinner had been a fairly quiet affair, seated around three large communal tables. Kara had been impressed at how restrained Cat had been in only making one brief sound of disgust at the food on offer. Most of the CatCo staff had spent it talking in fairly hushed tones about the storm, comparing news on their phones, although a handful were more interested in talking about their tasks so far. When almost everything had been cleared away, David and Michaela called them all together.

“OK everyone,” David called when they’d hushed, “Since the weather’s looking pretty uncertain for this evening we’re going to ask you all to remain here in our Great Hall for the next couple of hours, until we have a clearer picture of how bad it might be. I know this might be a little inconvenient for some of you,” he went on, as a few groans sounded, “But it’s purely for your safety and I hope you can appreciate that. If anyone needs anything from their cabins now is the time to get it – just please let one of us know and come straight back here.” A couple of people made to leave immediately, which David spotted and he carried on quickly: “We’ll give you an update in a couple of hours when we hear how it’s going in National City. Until then, we’re providing some entertainment for the evening, and some refreshments, so sit back and relax!”

He and some of the other support staff, whose names Kara didn’t yet know, began rearranging the benches and tables around the edge of the room, whilst Michaela and another staff member starting bringing in pitchers of drinks and plates of nibbles. They must all have been hard at work behind the scenes to pull this off so quickly, she mused. Winn and James and a couple of others then followed David to help set up some sound equipment on a basic stage at the far end of the room. She’d been expecting someone to set up some decks and was surprised to see Michaela returning with what turned out to be a bass guitar, and a couple of the other staff were also carrying instrument cases and a microphone stand. Pretty soon they had a small band set up with acoustic and electric guitar, bass and some sort of strange looking wooden box. David had dimmed the lights and was setting up a few candles in jars around the edge of the room. All in all it was turning into a pretty cosy joint!

But as cosy as it was Kara couldn’t quite relax, as to her the increasing noise of the wind in the trees outside was bearing down on her sensitive ears. She and Lucy had been texting back and forth until around 20 minutes ago, when all her friend had said was: “Storm arriving. Loud but no big so far and no need for SG. Will keep you posted.” That was all fine and dandy but Kara couldn’t help shake the belief that Supergirl could well have been needed and Lucy was just keeping quiet for her sake. Even if there was no major disaster, she could still be helping with the inevitable accidents, resulting from the frayed tempers and anxious people hurrying to get home and she could have helped prevent damage and watch out for all those vulnerable people.

This all just left her feeling a bit trapped and useless. But she’d run through a dozen scenarios in her head but she just couldn’t come up with a convincing reason for her to leave the cabin that wouldn’t give her away. Nope, unless there was a real emergency she was stuck here. And so she couldn’t quite relax. It seemed to be doing wonders for everyone else, though. They’d all been so tense over dinner, but now they were all smiling again and the anxiety was slowly flowing out of the room.

“You have to give it to them,” said a soft voice suddenly into her ear, making her jump, “They know how to keep control and look after their guests.”

Kara turned to face Cat, willing her suddenly pounding heart to slow. Cat’s lips had been practically against her ear and she’d been so focussed on the wind outside that she’d not been paying attention to her surroundings. Silly. The other blonde was clutching a drink, naturally, and looking remarkably composed, and Kara smiled a little. There was a strange expression on the older woman’s face, which she couldn’t quite read.  When Cat gestured with her head and drink to one of the benches at the back of the room, Kara instinctively fell into step with her, and the media mogul continued speaking quietly, as if knowing Kara could hear her. Which of course she could. And of course Cat knew. Sort of. “They’re right of course,” she continued in her characteristic mumble, “A bit of mood music and lighting and people quickly let their hair down.” Kara considered that it was unlikely she’d let _her_ hair down here and Cat must have seen this reflected in her face as she rolled her eyes. “Not literally.”

They settled themselves on a bench in the back and watched the band finish prepping. The media queen shifted herself to sit at an angle so she was facing Kara and narrowed her eyes a little as she took a sip of her drink. “You don’t seem very relaxed, however,” she said. “Are you thinking about National City?”

Kara sighed and hunched down a little on their bench. Everyone else was busy getting drinks or snacks and chatting loudly. There was no one around to hear them but she still chose her words carefully. “I just can’t stop myself thinking about the people who might need help. I know they say it’s not going to be too big of a deal, but it’s then that people get missed. There’ll be accidents, fights, road rage, damage…” she trailed off, staring into the middle distance, and to Cat it looked as though she was trying to see right through the wall to National City. For all she knew, she was.

Kara cleared her throat and continued. “The government, the emergency services, they have to focus on the big picture and it’s easy for them to miss the… the ordinary people who just need a hand before things get too bad. I could-” she stopped herself again, then just said quietly: “I wish I was there. I could be useful.”

Cat was quiet for a long while, and Kara glanced at her she saw a strange expression on her friend’s face. Was Cat impressed? She’d seen her look at her as Supergirl like that before, but rarely as plain Kara Danvers.

Cat blinked a couple of times then leaned in towards her assistant. “I’ve always liked that about you, Kara,” she said. “You see the small things and don’t just focus on the noteworthy. I like to think it’s a gift I have too,” she added in a matter-of-fact manner, “CatCo is about reaching everyone, especially those who are often missed. The news is for everyone, not just the rich and powerful. But in reality, you’re far better at seeing it all than I could ever be. It seems to come so naturally to you.”

Kara watched and listened quietly. In the background the sound of tuning and “1,2, testing,” indicated that the band were nearly ready. When she didn’t say anything in reply, Cat continued. “Listen, you’ll only be missed if you leave now, right?” In 2 or 3 hours, all being well, people will start thinking of bed, and no one will think twice about you having an… early night, will they?”

Kara cottoned on to what her wise friend was really saying and she brightened. “I suppose not. I hadn’t really thought about that. Especially if someone was willing to… help cover for me…” she looked sideways at Cat as she said that last part. Her boss just smirked and took another sip of her drink. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” she drawled, and looked away towards the stage. “Looks like the party’s about to get started,” she added.

The impromptu band struck up just then and both women switched their attention to them. It turned out that the wooden box thing was something you sat on and played by tapping it with your hands, like a portable DIY drumkit. Who knew? They launched into an acoustic cover of, of all things, “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. “Wait, I spoke too soon,” Cat drawled, “This is about to go south very quickly.”

Kara snorted and shushed her so she could listen to the music, completely failing to see Cat’s dumbstruck expression at being hushed again. But she was quickly swept up in the music, Michaela and one of the male guitarists managing to pull off an impressive duet, and whilst the song was unashamedly cheesy it was also cheerful and soon people were singing along. Ed and Glenda let rip with some slick air guitar moves, earning a round of applause, and the song ended with cheers and calls for more.

“Well I never knew you could do all that with a box,” said Kara, watching the would-be drummer, as the band conferred over their next song.

“I’m reliably informed that it’s called a cajón,” Cat murmured, taking a sip from her drink.

“A… ka-honn?” Kara replied, none the wiser.

“That’s right. James was very excited about it – there’s a hole in the back to let the sound out, apparently.”

“A hole in the...” she was still mystified, and Cat started to laugh at the look on her face. “He was very keen to tell me all about it and I’m sure he’d be more than happy to tell you too.”

Kara laughed too, “James does get very enthusiastic about the things he’s passionate about,” she agreed.

Cat raised her glass in a silent toast and took another sip. “Bourbon would be better,” she mused, pulling a slight face at the taste, “But this juniper fizz isn’t completely awful.”

“Not everything needs alcohol, Cat,” Kara chided, and Cat merely hummed in response.

Michaela and the others introduced their next song, “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic. It was a song she loved and a couple of people started dancing to the fast cover. These guys were really skilled to do such a masterful cover, and Kara felt herself start to relax as she enjoyed the music.

Song after song followed, and Kara and Cat never once moved from that bench in the hour or so that followed. Cat would regularly drawl something about the music, or the dancing skills of those enjoying themselves, something sarcastic but never cruel, and Kara was in stitches at her dry observations. Laughing was easy with Cat, when she wasn’t being Crazy Boss Lady. She found herself occasionally just watching the older woman in the dim light, seeing the very slight crinkle around her eyes when she smiled or pulled a face. More than once she was sure she caught Cat watching her in return, suddenly glancing away if she looked across.

Michaela finished their set with an absolutely stunning version of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” and Kelly and several of the girls did a passable cover of the dance. James wasn’t to be beat, however, and his version of that dance was not something she was going to forget any time soon, leaving both her and Cat crying with laughter. When Michaela announced that they were pausing for a break she wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned in to the other woman to ask her if she’d like a drink.

“Bring me back anything with alcohol to help me cleanse that from my mind!” the media queen called, and Kara just dismissed that with a wave of her hand as she made her way across the floor to the refreshments table. The room had devolved into noisy chatter when the music finished, and she didn’t notice Winn coming up beside her as she poured a couple of glasses of fruit punch.

Her friend grabbed her elbow to get her attention and she nearly poured half the punch onto him when he hissed into her ear, “So, OK, just _what_ is going on with you and Cat?!”

“Wh-what??” she spluttered, but she couldn’t quite help glancing over at the woman in question, who was currently watching Glenda try out the cajón, with mixed success. The young dark-haired man who was helping her out didn’t seem to mind, though. Winn just shook his head as he dragged her attention back to her.

“I’m not trying to imply anything, but... you two have been awfully close today and this evening, she sought you out and took you over to a private corner. Kara, I’ve never seen either of you laugh so much!”

“Cat’s really funny!” Kara felt the need to defend her. “We’ve just been making some jokes and trying to relax – she could see I was worked up about being stuck here when people might need help.”

“Whoa,” Winn raised his hands defensively, “I know that too, Kara, so does James, and we’re both keeping an eye on the news in case of anything big, but it just seemed… unusual that you’d seek out Cat’s company instead of ours. Not that I’m complaining or insisting we’re better or anything – well, clearly we are, but-” he coughed as the superhero crossed her arms and looked impatiently at him.

“I don’t have to explain my choice of friends to you, Winn,” she growled. “I don’t get to see this side of Cat very often, and she’s really good fun, y’know? Don’t be so hard on her!”

“What? No, Kara, you’ve got it wrong, I’m not complaining, I’m just – just a little surprised, is all. It’s great to see you having so much fun! But…” he dropped his voice, “I just, I thought you looked pretty _close_ , if you know what I mean.”

Kara just looked at him.

“Um, y’know, I mean,” he was practically whispering now, “I thought you said you weren’t… gay?”

“What?!” Kara spilt the drinks she’d just poured. “Not – why are you asking that?!”

“Oh geez, this isn’t going right. Look, Kara, it’s none of my business and I’d be really happy for you if you felt that way – you know we just want to see you happy, and well, it’d explain- er,” he changed tack when Kara stopped wiping juice off her sleeve long enough to glare at him, “What I mean is, are you into Cat?”

Kara froze and stared at the stain on her sleeve for longer than was truly necessary.  

“Kara?” Winn prompted after a few moments.

“How can I not be?” she said quietly, finally looking up at her friend. “She’s amazing in every way.” When Winn looked a little doubtful she kept talking. “I mean, sure, she can be intimidating. Rao knows I’m all too aware of that!” she said as she remembered all the times her boss had sent her scurrying or left her ranting to the others.  “But she’s not _mean_ , Winn. Not really. She has high standards, sure, but she really cares for all of us. She could have just ignored this whole team building thing – I’m sure she could have found a reasonable excuse to make herself scarce this whole time. But she’s here, and risking humiliation too, just so she can see her staff feeling happier in their workplace. Her bluster’s just a front.”

Winn gently took the jug of juice off her before she sloshed the whole thing on the floor with the wild gestures accompanying her words. He led her round to the other side of the room, where it was a bit quieter, before asking her again, “But do you, y’know…” he trailed off hopefully.

Kara made a sort of strangled noise and turned them round so her back would be to Cat if she happened to look over. There was a slightly desperate look in her eyes that broke Winn’s heart all over again. But he loved Kara deeply, even if it would always have to be as a friend, and he waited for her to speak. “Would it…” she paused and swallowed. “Would it be so bad if I… was? Into her? I mean no! Not, _into_ her, just y’know-”

“OK, OK, I get the picture! Seriously, Kara, I get it.” Suddenly it was Winn who looked traumatised and he quickly cut her off, “Of course it wouldn’t be bad, I mean…” he looked quickly over her shoulder towards Cat, who was thankfully engrossed in her phone, “You certainly look good together.”

“Really??” Kara brightened absurdly at that little compliment.

“Well, huh, yes of course you do!” he gently placed his hand on Kara’s shoulder. “I’m happy for you, if you’re happy.” Kara beamed at that, but then Winn lifted his hand to run it nervously through his hair. “The only thing is, isn’t it a bit weird that she’s your boss? And quite a bit older than you?”

“Yeah…” Kara drew out the word. “There is that.” She sighed, “Honestly, Winn, I don’t really know what’s going on here. It’s been pretty... gradual, y’know? It’s just crept up on me until suddenly one day it was like: bam! And now I can’t stop thinking about her…” Winn nodded. He totally got that. “When she’s not in CEO mode, anyway,” she added, and Winn totally got that too.

“On…” she paused and quickly looked around, “On Krypton, same-sex couples were a bit more common than they are here. Kids weren’t usually born naturally there, it was all through genetic selection and… I dunno, test tubes and stuff.” She looked embarrassed and coughed lightly, “I was a bit young to know all the fine details when I left. But anyway, there, as far as I remember, you didn’t need to be different genders to have children that were biologically yours. Not that that matters. But people were just attracted to… people. Age wasn’t a bit issue either. I’d never really thought too much about whether I might be… y’know,” she tailed off into embarrassment again and Winn certainly didn’t feel any need to fill in the missing words.

“Well, I’m happy for you,” he said again, with a little more enthusiasm than he felt. “Really I am. But you need to be sure you’re both comfortable with this before the other staff start noticing too much and gossiping. I’m not trying to put you off,” he hurriedly added, seeing his friend start to frown again, “But you know it could be bad for both of you if things go south or it turns out one of you is more into this than the other, given your jobs.”

“Yeah, believe me, I know,” she replied. “I’ve thought about this a lot. I wasn’t too sure until recently how she felt about me, but over the last week or two, well, things have been a bit… different…”

Winn couldn’t help but smile at the expression on her face, and then Kara smiled too. He clapped her on the shoulder then winced as it was like slapping concrete, “Well, hey, the two of you are going to have to talk about it soon, but for tonight, you should just relax and have fun. No one’s paying too much attention to anyone else, they’re all too wound up about the storm and enjoying the music.”

Kara tensed again at the mention of the storm and instinctively reached out with her hearing for a couple of seconds. The wind was still howling and it was raining now but it didn’t seem any worse than earlier. “You’ve not heard anything?” she asked her technowizard friend, knowing he’d understand the implied question. “Nah,” he shook his head, “The news updates are just reporting minor things, nothing extraordinary.”

This didn’t totally didn’t reassure Kara, but after checking her own phone again and seeing nothing, she looked back towards Cat. Then she jumped slightly as Cat was just looking her way too. She smiled and couldn’t help a little wave. Cat made an impatient gesture and Kara suddenly remembered she was supposed to be getting drinks. She started and picked up their glasses again. “Thanks, Winn,” she said, “I appreciate this. You have fun too!” He grinned and headed back over towards James and Glenda, as she hurried back to the punch.

 

***---***---***---***

 

Cat was having a fantastic evening.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had so much fun. She didn’t normally cut loose and relax this much, and whilst she’d checked her phone a couple of times through the music to make sure no emergencies were happening it had been a strange kind of relief to switch off for an hour or so with Kara. And no matter which way she spun it, it _was_ Kara who’d made the difference to her evening. She didn’t know what had possessed her to seek her out and draw her off to their own private corner of the hall. She only knew that she was tired of pretending to herself. She was attracted to her assistant, God help her, and she was starting to think it might be more than a passing crush. Kara brightened up every room she was in, and where that had once annoyed the hell out of her over the last few weeks she’d found it increasingly… endearing. Oh, she knew they needed to talk about this – whatever it was – but for tonight, well, why the hell not just enjoy themselves and laugh together?

She wasn’t sure when she’d last enjoyed being somewhere just because of someone else’s presence and she was definitely going to make the most of it. Kara would tell her if she wasn’t happy with them being like this. She glanced at her watch – it was close to 9.30pm now and she hadn’t heard any ominous crashes from outside yet so perhaps the storm wasn’t going to be so bad after all. Leaning back against the wall, she glanced around the impromptu dance floor. The band were getting ready to start up again, but Kara was deep in discussion with Michaela and the CEO suppressed a chuckle – she guessed she wasn’t going to get her drink any time soon.

Looking around, everyone seemed to be pretty relaxed and she had to hand it to the Carraway Forest staff: they’d managed to make a basic wooden hut into a cosy hideaway. It was a bit too cosy actually, she thought, as she tugged at the neck of her (exclusive) polo shirt and shifted slightly uncomfortably on the bench. It hadn’t been this warm last night. She felt another little twinge from her left hand and rubbed her other hand absent-mindedly over the bandages. She’d been ignoring these little pains all evening – the nurse had said it might sting a bit as it was deep -  but that one had made her wince and she lifted her hand to check it. To her dismay, there was a small, dark stain over the cut – damn, it had started bleeding again. She tugged her collar down a little as she suddenly felt hot again and with a sinking feeling she wondered whether the two might not be related. There was no way she going anywhere near a hospital. Hopefully it would pass.

“So! Who’s up for non-alcoholic juniper-y goodness?!” Kara’s hopeful voice startled her and she hid her hand up her sleeve quickly as she smirked at her assistant’s return. Kara was beaming and looking ridiculously pleased with herself for finally retrieving the drinks. “What took you so long?” she asked, “Did you have to hunt down the berries yourself?”

“Oh, no, Winn and I were just chatting,” Kara blustered – and was that a hint of a blush on her cheeks? She couldn’t be sure in this dim light. “And then I had to talk to Michaela about the band – aren’t they amazing?! They said they’ve got some special numbers still lined up for the rest of the evening.”

“I don’t know how they think they could quite surpass that last number,” Cat drawled, and the younger girl started laughing. Cat couldn’t help herself, she found herself laughing too and it felt so good to let go, to stop being the CEO for a moment and be just the woman in love…

“May I have your attention?” David’s deep voice over the microphone cut short their laughter. The chatter soon stopped and the whole group turned to look at him on the little stage. Their expressions showed that the anxiety of the earlier evening hadn’t ever been far away. When the noise had dimmed, David carried on: “I hope you’re enjoying this evening – can we have a hand for our amazing staff band here?” He turned and gestured to the band and led the applause and cheers that followed. Cat allowed herself a small whoop, and then wondered where that had come from.

“Now,” his deep voice boomed out, “I’m sure you’re all anxious to hear the latest on the storm.” There were lots of nods and some muttering. “We’ve heard from National City that the storm there seems to have died down and they’re not expecting things to get any worse. It seems that what we’re experiencing here now is the peak of it, so there’s no real cause for alarm.” More cheers greeted this and after a moment he gestured for quiet again. “We’ve decided there’s no need to keep you all here for the night, and you can make your ways to your own cabins whenever you like. We do ask that you go straight to your cabins and not anywhere else, travel in groups and do take care because there may still be a few loose branches and it’s still horrible weather out there, even if it’s not an emergency any more. Deeper into the forest there’s likely to be some trees down so _please_ don’t stray from the paths. Thank you all for co-operating with us and for taking this danger seriously. Our band’s going to play for another hour or so, so please stay as long as you’d like and enjoy yourselves!” He led them in a final round of applause and made his way off the stage, and the band began a quick discussion over the next tune as everyone split into little groups again, talking excitedly and looking relieved.

Kara, Cat noticed was engrossed in her phone, presumably reading about some updates on the storm, but when she finally looked up the hidden hero looked a little less anxious than she had earlier. “Everything OK?” Cat enquired, innocently.

“I think so,” Kara replied. “I think it’s going to be alright.” And she smiled slightly.

“Well, good!” Cat replied, sounding a little sharper than she’d intended, and she suddenly couldn’t help from shivering. Dammit. Kara saw and immediately looked alarmed. She came to sit by her on the bench, placing a hand on her arm. “Cat!” she said quietly, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine!” Cat snapped, hating herself for being so waspish, but this just had to ruin the evening, didn’t it? But her body betrayed her and she shivered again. Kara quickly placed a hand on her forehead, then drew it back. “You’re pretty hot,” she mused, “Have you been feeling unwell?”

“No,” Cat snapped again. Then when Kara just looked at her, disbelieving, she sighed and just held up her injured hand. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought the little dark stain was slightly bigger.

Kara gently took her hand and then gasped: “Your hand! Has it been hurting? We should get it checked out, maybe David can-”

“No, no, no, I am not making a fuss about this. I just have a slight temperature. It has hurt a little bit I suppose but it’s not serious. I’m sure I can just get it looked at tomorrow back in National City.” Kara looked doubtful, and Cat shivered again and cursed quietly. “OK, I guess some paracetamol wouldn’t go amiss.”

“Sure,” Kara smiled reassuringly. “I can get that for you.” She still hadn’t let go of Cat’s hand but was gently running her thumb over her unbandaged fingers. She made absolutely no effort to pull her hand back, and just watched that thumb lightly caress her injury. After a moment she looked up at Kara to find her watching her with an unreadable expression. Cat thought that if her heart stopped now she might not mind. She wondered if she might be slightly delirious.

“OK,” Kara said after a moment, giving her hand a very gently squeeze, “Shall we get you back to the cabin? I’m sure I’ve got some paracetamol in my washbag. Which survived Kelly and Glenda’s firebombing campaign, thankfully.” Cat started laughing again at that, and it soon took on a hysterical tone. “Oooo-kay,” the love of her life said after a few moments, “Definitely time to get you back. Come on,” and she gently helped her onto her feet. In the background, the band struck up an Elton John cover, which was impressive without a piano. She didn’t recognise the song. “I always liked Elton,” she said loudly to Kara, shivering again, “But not his wardrobe.” Kara didn’t reply, which was rude, and just led her gently by the elbow to where James and Winn were chatting away near the dips.

“Ms Grant’s not well, we’re going back to the cabin to get her something,” she heard Kara say, and she was sure that Winn fellow snorted, but she was too interested in Michaela the bass player to pay much attention. Had she always worn such tight trousers? When she realised Winn and James were staring at her she wondered if perhaps she might have said that out loud. “I thought you were covering,” Winn said, “But you might be right. Ow!” Kara seemed to have stepped on his foot. James was looking questioningly at all of them. Strange.

“Tiny Dancer!” Cat shouted suddenly. “Like me. I knew I knew this song. Tiny dancer.” She might have giggled.

She didn’t notice that all three of the others were staring at her now.

“Um, are you sure no one spiked her drink?” Winn muttered to Kara. “Is she going to be alright?”

“I think it’s that cut on her hand,” Kara said. “I’m going to get some paracetamol but if she gets much worse I might have to… take her to the DEO.”

James and Winn looked alarmed at that. “She was cut by the… you know what, though,” James said, “Could it be a reaction? Or an infection? Maybe we should call Lu-“

“No,” Kara snapped, “Not yet. Let’s see if we can get her temperature down first.”

“OK, shall we come with you?” Winn asked, looking around for his cardigan. “You might need the help…”

Cat was now leaning against the snacks table, drawing patterns in the wood with her finger. She suddenly shivered again and pulled her arms around herself. She wasn’t feeling so good.

“No, I’ll take her, it’ll be quicker, just keep an eye on your phone and I’ll let you know if we need anything. Hopefully we’ll be back before the band finishes.”

“Are you sure?” James looked doubtful, but Winn saw the worry on Kara’s face and decided it was best to let her care for Cat alone for a few minutes.

“They’ll be fine, Cat just needs some paracetamol and some water, and besides, I saw Glenda and Kelly leave a couple of minutes ago so they’ll be there too.”

James still looked doubtful but he finally nodded. “Alright, just let us know how she is and if you need anything.”

“I will,” Kara nodded. “Come on, Ms Grant,” and she started leading her boss towards the exit.

“Cat,” said Cat, but she let herself be led. She trusted Kara.

“Of course,” Kara paused to collect their jackets and helped Cat into hers.

Before she knew it, they were outside in the wild wind. Mercifully, it had stopped raining, but that wind was fierce and the tree branches were whipping madly from side to side. Kara led her gently but at a good pace towards their cabin, but by the time they reached the branch for their little home Cat was shivering uncontrollably and she couldn’t keep up.

“Oh my gosh, you’re hot but so cold at the same time,” said Kara, who paused to feel her head again when Cat stumbled.

“Must be the w-w-weather,” Cat said through chattering teeth.

Kara seemed to think for a moment and looked around them and then suddenly she was being swept up in strong arms and pressed against a warm chest. “Wha-? Mmmm,” was all Cat could say.

“I’m really sorry, Cat, normally I would ask you, but I just want to get you inside quickly.”

Already feeling less cold, Cat just burrowed her head into the arm that was holding her and tried to shiver less. Kara moved quickly now and it was only a few moments before they reached their Red Fox cabin. Cat felt herself being gently lowered to the ground again and she murmured a protest as Kara pushed open the door. Warmth greeted her and she nearly moaned with relief. There was no sign of Glenda or Kelly but she could hear giggling and the clinking of glasses coming from their room.

“Come on, sit there for a moment while I get the fire going,” Kara murmured to her, and Cat half sat half collapsed onto the sofa. Kara turned away to their fireplace, which thankfully someone from the staff had prepared. Her back was to Cat but she saw there was a sort of flash and suddenly there was a merry fire blazing in the hearth.

“Cheat!” Cat called, and then shivered again.

Kara just smiled and picked Cat up to place her on the arm chair in front of the fire. “Hey!” the older woman protested at being handled in such a way.

“Sorry,” Kara really did look sorry. “I just want to get you warm. Or possibly cool. I’ll go and find the paracetamol." There was a blur and a rush of wind, and suddenly Kara was back holding a packet out to her. “Here,” she said, “Take two out and I’ll just get you some water.”

There was a similar blur, the brief sound of water running, then another rush and Kara was back holding a glass of water. Cat hadn’t even opened the packet yet, but she felt too out of it to even make a joke. “Come on,” Kara urged, “Take two, and drink the whole glass of water.”

Cat was lucid enough to make a face at her, but she did as Kara asked. Her assistant took the glass when she’d finished, and looked thoughtfully towards the bathroom. “We could do with a cool cloth for your head. I wonder if Glenda or Kelly have any flannels. I think they’re in the bedroom…” Her eyes unfocussed for a moment as she seemed to be listening hard and then her head snapped up and she reflexively covered her ears. Cat watched her, nonplussed, as Kara practically leapt out of her skin in embarrassment. “Ugh! I did NOT want to hear that!” she yelped. “Ugh! At least I didn’t look. Uh, er, they probably don’t want to… er… to be disturbed… Never mind…” with another blur Kara disappeared and then reappeared with what turned out to be a damp towel. “This’ll have to do. Here, let me put this on your forehead, and I might also go put some music on…”

For the next twenty minutes or so Kara fussed over Cat and Cat let her. She was shivering less often now but everywhere just felt so achy… She flexed her sore hand and winced. Kara spotted this and gently took her hand again. She frowned at the stain on the bandage and looked around the cabin. “There must be a first aid box in here somewhere,” she muttered, pulling her glasses down her nose and looking carefully everywhere _except_ the other bedroom. Kara had been very keen, for some reason, to find a random jazz station on the radio in their living area. It wasn’t her taste, but hey.

“Aha!” Kara said as she looked under the sink, pushing her glasses up again, and with a whoosh she was there and back at Cat’s side again, now clutching a green first aid box. She quickly dug out a thermometer and peered at it as she unwrapped it. “Where do you think this is supposed to go?” she asked Cat, who glared at her. “I can tell you where it certainly _isn’t_ going!” she replied. Kara did that beautiful laugh of hers again, and obviously deciding it was an oral thermometer she called out, “Open wide!”

“What am I, four?” Cat grumbled, but she grudgingly let her pop the thing in her mouth.

There was a sudden crash from Glenda and Kelly’s room as the door burst open and the two girls, looking pretty dishevelled and very giggly, stumbled out. They were laughing and linking arms and Kelly was clutching a half-empty bottle of vodka. Cat simultaneously wished she’d thought to bring vodka and also that she’d been feeling more herself, as the look on their faces when they suddenly spotted Kara in nursing mode and their boss, wrapped in blankets with a thermometer sticking out of her mouth was priceless.

They stood like statues, staring, while Kara busied herself looking for bandages.

Finally, Kelly squeaked, “Ms. Grant… we didn’t know you were here. Sorry if we were, er, noisy… Um, would you like some?” and she offered Cat the vodka. Glenda looked like she wanted to die.

Cat just glared at them. They didn’t need a response and it was easy to fall into her ice-queen CEO persona when she was feeling poorly.

“Ms Grant isn’t feeling well,” Kara said without looking up from the box.  “I’m just looking after her and I’m going to rebandage her hand. I think most everyone else is still down at the Great Hall.”

“Oh, cool,” Glenda said weakly. “Maybe we’ll, er, go join them again when we’ve sorted…” and they bolted back into their room. Cat laughed despite everything, and shivered again. Kara watched them go into their room with a funny expression on her face, but then produced the bandage and sterilising wipes she’d been looking for.

“So I’m no expert,” she said, unwrapping the bandage, “But I think I can replace your bandage and at least clean you up. I should look at the wound and make sure it’s not infected. May I?” she gestured at the bandage.

“Mm.” Cat said, and closed her eyes as Kara unwound the stained bandage. She hissed slightly and tensed when she felt the sudden sting of the sterilising wipe on her palm. “I’m sorry,” Kara apologised, “But I do need to clean it.” She was ever so tender, and Cat didn’t know Supergirl could be so gentle. When Kara laughed, she realised she’d said that out loud again. Oops.

“There,” her hero said after a few moments, and picked up the dirty bandages and wipes. “I’ll just get rid of these then have a proper look at that cut before I re-bandage it.” There was another blur and then Kara was kneeling besides her again, carefully holding her palm and looking at it. “Hmm,” she said after a moment, and Cat wondered what she could see. “It’s quite red and still bleeding slightly. I wonder…” and she pulled her glasses down her nose and looked intently at her hand. Suddenly she gasped and pulled back slightly, pushing her glasses back on.

“What?” Cat asked, yanking the stupid thermometer out of her mouth and suppressing another shiver.

“Your wound… it still has a couple of tiny fragments of Kr- of that rock in it. I _thought_ I wasn’t feeling quite right either.”

Cat frowned. “Well, what does that mean?” she demanded.

“I don’t know,” Kara admitted, “They’re really tiny pieces. But it’s certainly not helping your wound heal.” She sighed and looked resigned. “I’ll have to get you properly checked out tomorrow, in case it’s doing you any harm. But for now, I think we can just re-bandage it.”

“What do you mean, it might be doing me harm?!” Cat hissed indignantly. “You didn’t mention that earlier!”

“Well, it probably isn’t. I don’t know what effect it has on, on, um, you,” she stammered. “But it certainly isn’t good to have a foreign body in your wound. I learned _that_ much about first aid at least.” Cat acknowledged with a grunt that this was at least true and let Kara re-bandage her hand.

Just as she finished, Glenda and Kelly re-emerged, fully dressed this time, and called, “Bye!” at them without looking in their direction. The door slammed behind them. Kara looked at Cat, who quipped, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t think any of us will be speaking of this.”

Kara laughed again and took the thermometer from her to see the readout. “You seem more yourself again!” she said happily. “Are you feeling any better?”

Cat thought for a moment. “I feel a bit less… achy,” she said hesitantly. “And my head’s a bit clearer…” Suddenly she pressed a hand to her face, “Oh no. Did I say anything… out of character?”

She looked so worried that Kara tried really hard to reassure her without laughing. “Don’t worry, Cat, you only spoke to me, James and Winn. It was obvious you weren’t feeling yourself.”

Cat just groaned and sank back in her chair, not totally reassured by this.

Kara looked again at the thermometer. “Your temperature’s still 100.1 … but you’re making more sense so hopefully the paracetamol’s helping. This could be a short-lived thing.”

“I hope so,” Cat murmured with her eyes closed, soothed by Kara’s reassuring voice and the jazz in the background. She’d just rest her eyes…

Next thing she knew, she was being carefully shaken awake by Kara. “Cat, I should really take your temperature again, if you don’t mind…”

Cat blinked and rubbed at her eyes with her good hand. She peered at her assistant and then hurriedly started pulling off the blanket that was wrapped around her. “How long was I asleep?” she asked drowsily, relieved when Kara helped her to extricate herself from the blanket.

“About a half hour,” Kara replied, watching her carefully as she bundled up the blanket. “I just want to see if your temperature’s gone down any more. Are you too hot now then?”

“Yes, but I was wrapped up like a human cocoon. Do I really have to use that thing again?” she quickly apologised. “I’m sorry. I sound like a child. I’m… not good at being ill.”

“Well, it couldn’t hurt to check,” Kara said. “Please? I disinfected it with some of your bourbon.”

“You have bourbon? And you made me drink that juniper stuff?!” Cat was outraged, but Kara looked so hopeful that she finally sighed and held out her good hand for the thermometer, quickly sticking it back in her mouth.  The hint of bourbon made her feel slightly more dignified. When it beeped after a few seconds she removed and looked at the readout herself. “99.7. Well that’s better.”

Kara nodded, looking relieved. “That’s still a slight temperature but you shouldn’t be in any danger. I’ve got more paracetamol if you need it later. I’ll get you another glass of water – you should stay hydrated,” and she hurried off to the sink before she could protest.

Cat hummed to herself as Kara returned with the drink, remembering something.

“I have to say,” she drawled as she took the proffered glass, “My memory’s a little vague but I seem to remember you being quite a bit speedier earlier. And,” she sat up straight suddenly as another memory swam to the surface, cursing as she spilt some of the water down her top. She dabbed at it furiously. “Did you carry me?!” she demanded.

Kara looked a bit sheepish. “I promise there was no one around to see,” she tried to placate her boss. “It’s just, you were deteriorating and I wanted to make sure you were ok.” She was wringing her hands and looking at the floor. “I thought for a little while I might have to take you to the hospital. You were really out of it.”

“And just how would you have got me there?” Cat asked, gesturing vaguely at the outside world.

“Um…” Kara looked pleadingly at her and fiddled nervously with her glasses.

Cat sighed. “Kara, are we going to talk about this properly?” she asked quietly.

Kara looked down for a moment and then nodded. “I think we should,” she agreed.

“Can we turn off that damn whinging music first?!” Cat requested, and Kara laughed, finding the remote and switching it off. The roar of the storm outside filled the sudden silence in the cabin and both women looked instinctively at the windows.

“That sounds worse than before,” Kara said, striding over to one of the windows and pulling back the curtain. She gasped and pulled back reflexively as something hit the glass with a crash. Cat practically leapt from her chair at the noise and staggered slightly as a wave of dizziness hit her. Kara was at her side in an instant, holding her arm. “I’m OK, I’m OK,” Cat flapped a hand at her. “I just stood up too quickly, that’s all.” She didn’t quite believe that herself but the dizziness had passed now and she stood up straight.

“I think that was a bit of tree,” Kara said, answering her unspoken question. “It sounds a lot worse than earlier, maybe I should check it out…”

“Hang on,” Cat pulled her back and Kara let her. “We’re going to have that chat first. At least briefly.”

Kara looked a bit reluctant and glanced towards the window again, but finally nodded and came to stand in front of Cat. The atmosphere was electric and her heart was pounding. She expected Kara’s was too.

After a few moments of just looking at each other, Cat smiled gently and said, “Do me a favour, and take off your glasses.”

“My, my glasses?” Kara smiled too, remembering another time a world away when those words had been spoken.

“Mm,” Cat hummed, and Kara reached up to her glasses, but stopped halfway as an ominous creaking filled Cat’s ears.

Suddenly there was a crash and a terrible splintering sound, and part of the roof and wall seemed to come apart around her. The fury of the storm burst into their cabin and Cat instinctively braced herself, covering her head, but when nothing had hit her a few moments later she untensed and looked up slowly. Kara was hovering in front of her, holding up part of a huge tree, and probably part of the roof as well.

Cat stared.  Kara smiled wryly from her lofty position, seemingly unbothered by the wild winds.

“Well,” Cat yelled into the storm after a bit. “Let me begin by saying thank you for all the help you’ve given me!”


	9. Pajama Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat gets to experience Kara's powers firsthand as Kara, not Supergirl, and helps her find an emergency outfit after her suit went up in smoke...
> 
> Disclaimer: All Supergirl characters are owned by DC, CBS and CW and their associates and this fanfiction just pays tribute to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice long chapter for you as we near the end of this fic. Cat begins to realise what it might mean to know Kara's secrets...

**Chapter 9**

Cat stared, lost for words, as she watched Kara heft that tree like it was nothing more than a twig. Her superhero was managing to make the act of simultaneously balancing it and a large portion of the roof _whilst also hovering in the air_ look effortless. She’d watched Kara as Supergirl fly into action on her screens countless times now, and she’d seen her pull off all sorts of heroics, often with her heart in her mouth at the time. But it was different seeing it in the flesh. She remembered the tingling she’d felt after she faced down Leslie for her, and that wasn’t just from Livewire’s stray shocks. It was awe-inspiring. This time, though, there was no safe barrier of the uniform between them. This was _Kara_ rescuing her, not Supergirl. It took her breath away seeing her like this.

In the space of two seconds she took in the fact that Kara, I’m-so-normal Kara, with her ridiculous cardigans and cheap mall slacks and flats was currently suspended in mid-air, preventing the Hundred Acre Woods from dropping on her head, looking anxious and protective and sort of _sheepish_ all at the same time. It was hot and hilarious and mind-blowing all together.

The wind whipped around her, leaves funnelling through the jagged hole in the roof and wall to collect in the ruined remains of their living area. She yelled the only appropriate thing she could think of into the fierceness of the wind: “Well, let me begin by saying thank you for all the help you’ve given me!” Kara laughed long and hard at that, until Cat had to duck away again as a bit of roof slipped from her grasp and tumbled to the floor. Then a look of concentration crossed her face as she juggled the two objects, obviously pondering the best way to set them down safely.

“This isn’t quite how I imagined this going!” Kara called down from her lofty height.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Cat shouted back from where she’d retreated to the other side of the room. “Ever since you carried my car into the hills for that interview and I finally saw you hanging there before me, I’ve been rather expecting some sort of dramatic reveal!”

“You – you’ve known since _then_?!” Kara squeaked, her jaw dropping and another bit of logging sliding to the floor as she shifted in surprise.

“I didn’t get to my position without learning to be observant, Kara!” Cat yelled over the howling of the storm, and Kara looked aghast. “OK, I wasn’t _completely_ certain at first – you know me, I always check my sources,” she amended, to Kara’s slight relief, “But… yes.” She dragged her hair out of her face, then raised her arm to shield her face as a particularly wild blast of wind and forest debris lashed around the room.

“We are so talking more about this later!” her super assistant yelled, turning her focus to the heavy objects she was currently balancing. The media queen watched as, without seeming to even slightly strain herself, she hefted both the roof and the tree up into the air and out into the forest. There was a blur and Kara was then standing again in front of her, placing her hands on her shoulders and looking at her intently. “Cat,” she asked, shielding her from the worst of the storm debris, “Are you OK?”

Cat laughed, giddy with it all. “Never better, Supergirl!” she grinned. In truth, her mouth was dry and her heart was pounding with the surge of adrenaline that had coursed through her veins when the roof imploded. Her head ached and she was pretty certain the wound on her hand had opened again, it was stinging so much. Her whole body was trembling slightly and she was probably in shock – whether that was shock from the roof or from her assistant’s sudden openness with her, she didn’t know.

Kara frowned and Cat knew she could feel her trembling and the racing of her heart giving lie to her words. “Do you mind if I…” she tweaked her glasses and raised one eyebrow in question, and for a moment Cat’s heart raced faster as she wondered just what her friend was proposing. Then she remembered Kara’s other powers and said, rather breathlessly, “Oh. Oh! Yes, go ahead.”

She hoped she managed to sound nonchalant enough, but the slight quirk of Kara’s mouth as she removed her glasses and looked her over suggested that she hadn’t quite managed it. “I don’t see anything serious,” the younger woman said after a few moments, starting to replace her glasses and then obviously thinking better of it, leaving them dangling awkwardly from her hand.

Cat had recovered her poise enough now to respond, coyly, “I hope you didn’t see anything too… playful, either.” She was satisfied to see her hero start to blush as she stammered, “No! N-no! I wouldn’t look at – I mean, I’m sure,”

“It’s OK, Kara,” Cat shushed her with a gentle, trembling hand over her lips and Kara stilled instantly at the touch, barely breathing. Cat’s heart raced faster than ever – what had gotten in to her?! Her other hand suddenly throbbed, making her wince and breaking the moment. _Get it together, Grant,_ she told herself. _This is hardly the time or place_. Kara recovered too and gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before letting go and taking her hand instead with a confidence that made her breath catch. “Come on,” the hero said, leading her towards the door and keeping Cat in front of her at all times, “Let’s get you someplace safe-“

Suddenly the remaining lights in their cabin flickered off and they were plunged into darkness. Cat’s hand gripped Kara’s convulsively for a moment before she calmed herself. The storm continued to rage and Kara pulled Cat into her for a moment, wrapping her arms around her from behind. In a different situation this would have been very sexy, but Cat just wanted to get out now.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that that power’s out,” Kara yelled over the wind. “I wonder if it’s just here or the whole site?” That question was answered when Kara dragged open the door, which slammed back on its hinges in the violent wind, and they the distinct lack of helpful lights to guide them along the paths.

“Well, that answers that question,” Cat snorted, bracing herself on Kara, and pulling her phone out of her pocket. She fiddled with it until the light from the flash shone out as a makeshift torch. “I suppose it’s too much to hope that somewhere like this has emergency lighting?”

“I’m sure they do,” Kara replied, “But it might be the lines that are down. We should go to the-” Suddenly she tensed and her head swung round as she stared into the darkness at something only she could see and hear.

“What is it?!” Cat shouted.

“It’s Glenda and Kelly!” Kara looked alarmed. “They didn’t make it back to the Hall. It looks like they tried to shelter near one of the other cabins but there are bits of debris flying round everywhere. I have to help them!” She cast about her for a safe place for Cat to stay.

“Wait – what are you going to do? Organise them to safety?!” Cat yelled into her ear, forgetting that Kara could hear her anyway.

“What? No – I need to get them to the Hall!” the anxious hero answered, looking distracted. Cat supposed she could still hear the girls in trouble. “Will you be alright sheltering in here a bit longer?” she asked, turning finally back to Cat. “I can make a sort of barrier for you to shelter behind in the unwrecked part of the-”

“Kara!” Cat yelled to get her attention, dragging on her arm ineffectually. “Will you listen to me!” The young blonde stopped looking around and looked at her, confused. “You can’t go out there to save them looking like, like – you!” She smacked Kara’s arm to get her point across and regretted it instantly as she winced. “Even without the glasses you don’t look like Supergirl, you look like Super Assistant! Cardigan Woman!”

“ _Cardiga_ \- Oh, right, yeah. Drat. Agh!” Kara went from offended to frustrated in the space of two seconds and paced across the porch of their ruined cabin as she tried to think what to do.

“Well?” Cat demanded. “Don’t you have a suit stashed somewhere? Or do you wear one under your clothes all the time?” Her treacherous heart threatened to burst at that thought. “I refuse to believe you’d come all this way unprepared.”

“I wasn’t! I didn’t!” Kara shouted defensively before she softened. “I had one with me, of _course_ I had one with me, but _those two_ ,” she gestured off into the forest, “went and set fire to it in my case when they were messing around with candles!”

“You only brought the one?!” Cat said, dismayed.

“They’re bulky and you only allowed us two small bags each!” her assistant snapped back.

That got Cat’s back up. “That is the _weakest_ excuse I’ve ever heard! You could have flown-” she began, before she ducked as a trashcan appeared from the gloom, flying towards them. Kara saw her widening eyes and spun in a blur to deflect it with a clang. “Get back inside!” she yelled at her boss, pushing her back through the door and forcing it shut again. Of course, with the end of the roof gone it was only slightly more sheltered in there, but at least things could only come at them now from one direction.

“Look,” Kara half shouted, “I thought one suit would be enough! I was obviously wrong but,” she looked a bit desperate and Cat wondered what she could hear, “I can’t leave them out there!” she cried, looking imploringly at Cat to _help_ _her_ somehow.

Cat threw her hands up in the air as she looked around the blustery cabin. Somehow, the fire in the hearth was still burning, although it was sputtering rather than roaring now in the wind, and it cast a very dim light. “There’s got to be something-” she started, before she gasped and her eyes widened as she turned back to the frustrated hero, who also gasped. “ _The T-shirt!_ ” they both yelled together!

The rush of Kara’s blurred dash into their bedroom was lost in the fury of the storm, and before she knew it the hero was back, this time wearing the baggy, knockoff Supergirl T-shirt that Kelly had lent her to sleep in. Her hair was down and her glasses were off, but she was still wearing the rest of her usual clothes, minus the cardigan, thank God.

Kara looked a bit uncertain too. “Whaddya think?” she asked, hopefully.

“No,” said Cat flatly.

“What? But, the T-shirt-” Kara plucked at the baggy fabric.

“-looks like a cheap knockoff.” Cat finished for her. “It’s not even the right shade of blue!”

“I don’t know, it’s not so bad,” Kara said, looking at the shirt more closely. “Although Winn did say that the particular shade he used was called “SuperBlue” or something lame like that.”

“What’s Winn got to do with-” Cat cut herself off, waving her hands at Kara. “Never mind. It just doesn’t work, Kara! Haven’t you got anything to make it look a bit more “super” and a bit less “boyfriend”?!”

Kara’s head jerked again at a noise only she could hear and Cat could see this was killing her, but she wouldn’t let her jeopardise her entire secret identity over this. “I have to go!” Kara hissed, looking desperate.

“At least change those trousers!” Cat begged.

Kara made a frustrated noise, but there was a blur and then she stood before her in the leggings she’d worn this morning, with a pair of Glenda’s Doc Martens on her feet, hands outstretched. “Ta-da!”

“No,” said Cat again, although the DMs look did have something going for it. Kara growled.

“Oh please, Kara, do you think Glenda won’t recognise her own shoes?!” Cat spat. There was a sigh, then her assistant blurred again, returning this time with bare feet.

“N- oh, actually, you might get away with that,” Cat mused, raising her arm to protect her eyes from a flurry of twigs and leaves that swirled past her face. “But it still needs a certain…” she stopped, and the beginnings of a smirk crept onto her face as she suddenly turned her back to Kara and fiddled with her pants.

“Ms – Cat – What are you-?”

“Here,” Cat answered, spinning around again with the belt from her outfit in her hands. It was yellow. Kara quickly took it and buckled it around herself, pulling the long T-shirt fabric tighter against her.

“Well,” Cat said, doubtfully, “I suppose you might pass for “Lazy-Weekend-With Netflix Supergirl” now. And it _is_ dark…”

“I’ll keep my distance and move quickly,” Kara said, relieved. “Hang on…”

She blurred yet again and even lit just by her phone Cat could tell Kara was building a sort of barricade out of the furniture for her. Then the casually-dressed superhero was next to her again, leading her by her arm to crouch behind the pile, underneath the table she’d placed at the back.

“Stay here,” Kara commanded loudly over the wind. “Stay behind all this and keep your head down – I’ll be back as soon as I can and take you to the Hall.”

Despite the situation, Cat took offense at her tone and narrowed her eyes, “No one tells me what to-”

“Please, Cat?” and her indignation melted away at the look in Supergirl’s eyes. She was definitely Supergirl now, even if she looked a bit like Supergirl doing the walk of shame. Not that she’d ever tell her that.

“I’ll stay,” Cat promised.

The hero reached out and gently touched her cheek, then with a rush she was gone, leaving Cat’s pounding heart behind her.

 

***---***---***---***

 

Kara flew along the forest path as fast as she dared without a cape to help her control her turning. She was more thankful than ever for her enhanced vision, which let her see pretty clearly even in the gloom, and zeroed in on the sounds of Glenda’s frantic yelling.

When she reached them she stopped for a moment, hovering up high where they couldn’t possible see her in the dark, to take in the situation. They weren’t far from the main Reception cabin, actually, and seemed to have strayed only a short distance off the path in the confusion after the blackout. Kelly was lying sprawled on the ground with Glenda crouched over her, occasionally shaking her shoulder and shining the torch from her phone down the path towards Reception. “HELP!” Glenda yelled again, “Someone help us! Oh, what’s the use? Kelly, come on, Kelly, you have to get up, it’s not safe!” she sounded desperate and Kara quickly floated down to the ground, landing several feet away. “What happened?” she yelled across to Glenda, “I heard your shouting - can I help?”

“What the-” Glenda leapt to her feet shining her torch directly at Kara, who pretended to be dazzled, raising her arms in front of her to keep her colleague from seeing her outfit too clearly. “Oh, Supergirl! Thank God!” she gushed after a moment, turning her torch back on Kelly. “You have to help her,” she said, close to tears, “The storm suddenly got worse and this branch or something came out of nowhere and hit her on the head and she just fell. Now she won’t get up and-” she stuttered to a stop, tears flowing now, which she wiped away desperately, looking a little unsteady on her feet.

Kara remembered then that they’d been drinking. Maybe Glenda wouldn’t recognise the clothes after all. She quickly knelt beside poor Kelly, who lay frighteningly still, and felt for a pulse whilst also scanning her with her X-ray vision. She let out a sigh of relief when she felt a heartbeat under her fingers. Her vision showed just the head injury, which was certainly not good, but she’d seen much worse. “She’s concussed,” she shouted up to Glenda. “We need to get her to the Hall to warm her up then she’ll probably need the hospital.”

“She’s not dead?!” Glenda shouted back, and burst into full-blown tears, collapsing onto the floor as she sobbed.

“Oh for the love of…” Kara gently lifted Kelly into her arms and then looked at Glenda, still sobbing on the floor. She was never going to get her to walk with her to the Hall in her current drunken and distraught state. After a moment’s thought she adjusted her grip on Kelly, shifting her carefully into one arm, and then hooked her other arm around Glenda’s middle, who finally lifted her head. “Wha-?” she said blearily, and hiccupped.

“Come on,” Kara said authoritatively and (she hoped) reassuringly, “I’m going to take you both to safety.”

“But ho-owwwwwwww” Glenda’s question turned into a howl as Kara took off with both of them clasped in her arms. The fashion junior editor grabbed convulsively at Kara’s arm as she flew them fairly slowly along the path towards the Great Hall. She tried to be careful but she couldn’t help being buffeted about by the wind a fair bit as she struggled to support Kelly’s head and also hold a terrified Glenda tight enough to keep her safe but gently enough that she wouldn’t be hurt. It definitely wasn’t the smoothest flight ever, and even though it was less than a minute before she touched down near the Great Hall, her sensitive eyes told her that Glenda had turned a rather peculiar shade of pale green. She put her down just in time as the poor woman staggered sideways and was rather violently and noisily sick into a bush. Kara wrinkled her nose in disgust as she gently lowered Kelly to the ground near the door. Alcohol had a lot to answer for sometimes.

She looked about her and wondered what to do now. She could hear the noise of a lot of people inside, but she couldn’t risk going in dressed as she was. The Hall was situated in a large clearing, meaning there was no real threat of falling trees here, so at least the girls would be safe.

Glenda finally stood upright again, wiping her mouth on her sleeve, which made Kara’s nose wrinkle again. Her sense of smell wasn’t quite as sensitive as her hearing or her eyesight, but it was good enough. The dark-haired woman staggered in the superhero’s direction, muttering obscenities which Kara pretended not to hear. She glanced down at Kelly again, lying still on the floor, and made a snap decision. “I have to get back to another emergency,” she said to the pissed off editor, hating herself for leaving Kelly on the floor but not seeing another option. “Will you call someone to take her inside?”

“Wherrre’s your cape?” Glenda slurred, looking at Kara in the light of her phone as the hero tried to shield herself in shadows again. “What?” she finally took in Supergirl’s question. “Oh, sure, I guess, I- Kelly!” Kara rolled her eyes as Glenda had apparently forgotten what had happened to her friend and she started sobbing all over again as she caught sight of her on the floor. She bent down to eye level with the inebriated woman and pointed sharply towards the door. “Go get help!” she enunciated clearly.

Glenda nodded fiercely and lurched towards the door. As she banged it open, Kara stretched out her hearing to make sure she’d reached someone who would understand and was relieved when she heard David’s deep voice followed by shouts and running feet. She lifted off swiftly before she could be spotted and was just scanning the grounds to make sure no one else was out in the storm or pinned under trees when she heard a desperate: “KARA!!!!”

She recognised the scream and was halfway back to the cabin before she’d even realised she’d moved.

 

***---***---***---***

 

Cat had done exactly as Kara said and remained hunkered down beneath the table and behind the pile of furniture in the ruined living room. For at least 20 seconds. Then she spotted a flashing light out of the corner of her eye and crawled out from under the table to investigate. She cursed when she snagged her bandage on a bit of branch. Her hand was really hurting again now and her head was thumping. She tasted metal in her mouth and assumed it was from the adrenaline. Or maybe she’d bitten her tongue at one point. She commando crawled to the flashing object, keeping an eye on the massive hole in the roof in case of any more flying debris, and was grateful, once again, that she’d decided to wear pants instead of a skirt this weekend.

The flashing thing was just out of reach from the edge of the barricade, and so she eased carefully round it, finally successfully snagging the thing, which turned out to be a phone. The name “WINN” was flashing up on the screen and she tapped to answer, pressing it close to her cheek to hear over the angry howl of the storm. She needn’t have worried.

“KARA!!” the voice on the end yelled and she nearly dropped it in shock. “What are you PLAYING at?! Do you know how long James and I have been trying to get hold of you?! What happened to staying close to your phone? This better hadn’t have all been an excuse to get into Ms Grant’s-”

“Get into my what, exactly, Mr Schott?” Cat purred dangerously into the phone

There was no response from the other end and Cat took it away from her ear for a moment to peer at the screen and check she hadn’t been cut off. But no, she could still hear voices in the background, even over the noise of the wind.

“Kara isn’t here, right now,” she said after a moment, deciding to throw him a bone.

“Ms… Ms Grant,” Winn finally said weakly, and Cat could just picture in her head the desperate faces he’d probably been making at James Olsen during the silence. “Kara’s… not there? Where is she? Why hasn’t she been answering her phone?”

“She hasn’t been answering her phone because she’s been too busy taking care of me,” Cat snapped, knowing even as she said it that those words could be misconstrued. “You saw me – I had some sort of… reaction.” She waited for his response to that.

Cat couldn’t see the fireplace from her current vantage point, and so she missed the sudden splutter as a piece of smouldering log was knocked from the hearth and began rolling slowly across the floor towards the haphazard barricade she was crouching next to.

“Right…” Winn said. “And where is she now? The storm’s getting worse and you both, er, that is, um, she needs to be-”

“I know full well that the storm’s worse thanks to the hole in our cabin and the new forest furniture. Kara isn’t here because she’s… helping people,” she finished finally.

“Hole? Helping people? Ms Grant, I’m not sure what you mean…”

“Helping people,” Cat said more deliberately. “And I’m fine, thank you for your concern.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean not to ask – are you OK? You’re OK. I’m glad. That’s good. And Kara is... helping people?”

“Helping. People.” Cat growled.

“Oh! She… you, you know….”

“Of course I know, you tiny idiot!” her headache was really awful now and she pinched at the bridge of her nose with her injured hand. “She’s gone to help some of my other idiotic employees and then she’s coming back to take me to you. Then she’ll have to go.”

Winn was clearly at a loss for words. “Go? Right, um, well, this is really weird.”

Cat said nothing, just hummed, but perhaps Winn couldn’t hear that over the storm.

“Well, when you see her,” he carried on, “Can you tell her-”

But Cat didn’t hear the rest of his words as there was a sudden, horrifying, _whump_ and the end of the sofa she was sheltering behind went up in flames. She stared in horror and cut off the call, frantically scrambling backwards away from the sudden inferno. What on earth would make the sofa go up in flames like that? What was this cheap stuff _made_ of? Other parts of the barricade were quickly going up as well, seeing as Kara had helpfully made it into a handy bonfire, ready to go. She pushed to her feet, staggering as her head and hand throbbed suddenly and her vision swam. Shaking her head to try to clear it she started making her way towards the door, when suddenly there was a _whoosh_ and she leapt back just in time as a line of flame rushed across the floor right into the door, which also began to smoulder. What the…? The angry storm was only fanning the flames, rather than blowing it out, and things were quickly getting hot.

Cat covered her face quickly with her arm, trying to breathe through her sleeve and crouching low to the floor to find as much fresh air as possible as the smoke began to make her cough. She turned to make her way instead to the hole in the wall, hoping she could climb out of there to safety, but there was a _CRACK_ and an unstable bit of roof, weakened further by the flames, suddenly fell, narrowly missing her.

The situation was starting to look dire. How did she get herself into these messes?? She could feel her heart racing again as panic started to take hold, and before her dizziness could return again she took as deep a breath as she could and screamed: “KARA!!!!”

Her scream ended in violent coughing, but she’d only hacked three times before Kara zipped in through the end wall, showering her with more fragments of debris. The superhero rushed to her friend before anything big could fall on her, skidding slightly on the floor in her bare feet, and quickly positioned her body behind and over hers with her arms outstretched, trying to shield her from the heat of the flames. She looked about the burning room in shock before shouting, “What happened?!” down to Cat, who was crouched underneath her.

“What was wrong with coming in through the hole that was already there?!” Cat yelled back, plucking bits of wood out of her hair. “Do you always have to make such a dramatic entrance?!”

“I’m sorry!” Kara looked genuinely mortified. “Turning at speed is hard without a cape and I forgot I wasn’t wearing one!”

“Why on earth does the cape make a- oh, drag. Well, don’t just stand there, get me out!” and Cat looked up imploringly at Kara as the heat intensified further in the cabin. She knew she didn’t sound at all grateful but she just couldn’t help it.

“Sure,” Kara said, then had to throw herself back over Cat as another bit of flaming ceiling dropped onto them. “Hang on!” Kara shouted down to Cat, who was curled into a ball now, “Let’s try this instead!”

And Cat watched from under her hands as her self-declared “very normal” assistant took an impossibly deep breath and then blew it out as an icy cloud. Cat was on the very edge of it, and she felt the biting wind cooling her hot skin. It was a blessed relief for all of a moment, then the pain in her cut palm throbbed again, set off by the cold. She hissed in a breath at the suddenness, and then all at once she felt a wave of heat inexplicably also flooding through her. It started suddenly from her chest and for a horrifying split second she thought she was having a heart attack. But the heat quickly spread out along her whole body, warring with Kara’s icy breath. She cried out at the feeling of it, hot and cold and painful all at once, and just when it became too much, it faded, leaving her fingers and toes tingling. The whole thing couldn’t have lasted more than 10 seconds, but it had been very intense.

Kara breathed normally again, and as the cool cloud faded they were left in a dark, cool and slightly icy ruin. She looked down at Cat in concern; she’d heard her cry out whilst she was busy cooling everything down and she hoped she hadn’t caught her with it by mistake.

“Cat?” she asked, kneeling down next to her and shaking her shoulder gently. “Cat,” she said again when she got no response.

But Cat was just riding the high of whatever it was that had just happened, and when Kara asked a second time she started laughing, quietly at first, shoulders shaking, and then turning into a full-bodied wild laugh. Her wound ached but the painful sting was gone now.

Alarmed, Kara scooped her up in her arms for the second time in one day and carried her carefully through the larger hole in the cabin to the relative safety of the porch around the other side. Cat was still laughing as she laid her gently onto the ground and helped her to stand, but Cat had to lean on her assistant for support as she wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to regain control.

“Woo!” she blew after a moment, straightening up and still feeling a bit giggly. “Was that your… freezy breath thing?” Kara nodded, looking at her with a concerned expression. “Well!” Cat breathed out and stretched, feeling more alive now than she had for a long time. She supposed that was the adrenaline talking. Hopefully there wouldn’t be a big comedown soon. She turned into Kara and wrapped one arm around her, using her other hand to trace the slightly blurry “S” symbol on her chest. Kara sucked in a breath at her touch. “All I can say, dear Kara,” she said, with a very silly grin on her face, “Is that if your breath thing feels like that all the time then I hope I get to experience a LOT more of it. Ha, if you could can that and sell it you’d be a billionaire in no time!” She twirled round on the spot and Kara seriously wondered if Cat had banged her head in there without her noticing.

“Cat,” she said sternly, hoping the tone would snap her out of it. “Cat,” she said again more firmly when the soot-smudged woman just grinned dopily at her. “Cat!” finally she snapped her fingers in front of her face and she may have put a little too much force into it as Cat sort of jerked back and shook her head, blinking a few times.

“Kara,” she said finally, looking a little dazed. “I’m… not sure what happened there, but _you_ have a real talent!” She poked Kara in the chest and she was so surprised that she somehow let her push her back a bit. She stumbled a little and took Cat gently by her shoulders. “Cat, come on, I need to get you to the Hall with the others – we can talk about this later, so long as you’re OK?”

“I am _very_ OK, SuperKara,” Cat winked at her, leaving Kara totally mystified as to what had just happened between them.  She decided to try to regain control of the situation and summoned up every ounce of her Supergirl confidence before sweeping Cat into her arms _again_ (and she could get used to this, she thought). “First off, you definitely can NOT call me that,” she said, and Cat gave a little squeak as she felt them lift off the ground again. “At least,” she said more quietly into her ear, as she flew them carefully through the furious dark towards the Great Hall, “Not when anyone else might hear us.” She was rewarded for her cheekiness by the rapid increase of Cat’s pulse, and she smiled.

It was another wild ride, and Cat kept her eyes closed for it, but she certainly didn’t fare as badly as poor Glenda. She flew a little faster this time, not having to worry about balancing two people, and in no time at all she was setting them down in front of the Hall.

Cat felt a little more in control of herself now, although her whole body still felt like it was humming, and she was a little embarrassed at her earlier performance now. She cleared her throat as they landed and Kara lowered her carefully to the ground. “So, how do you want to play this, Supergirl?” she asked, glancing at the door.

Kara pushed her windswept hair out of her eyes. “Well,” she started, “I thought we could-” but suddenly her eyes took on that faraway look again that Cat felt sure she’d be seeing a lot of. “What is it?” she asked the Girl of Steel. “Can you hear something?”

“Yes,” Kara replied, staring off into the trees. “Back on the forest road we came up yesterday. Two guys, sounds like their truck’s overturned…”

“Go,” Cat said instantly, giving her a little pat on the shoulder that suddenly seemed a bit too much like something you’d do for a friend and not a… whatever Kara was. The freeze breath thing had thrown her off her game.

Kara turned a grateful look in her direction and lifted off slowly. “I’ll be right back,” she called over the wind. “Kelly might need the hospital.”

“I’ll go check on her!” Cat called. “Be safe!” she felt stupid shouting those last words, but they’d just sort of slipped out. Hopefully Kara hadn’t heard them. Oh, who was she kidding? She’d heard them all right.

The rain started then, lashing down suddenly and blasting into her. She wrapped her arms around herself and hurried through the door into the communal hall, to be greeted with a wall of sound and people hurrying back and forward with torches and more candles. Suddenly someone spotted her: “Ms Grant!” the cry went up. “Cat!” Ms Grant!” “You’re OK!” She smiled at their concern as she strode into the centre of the room, brushing her dripping hair out of her face. “Yes, yes,” she waved a hand at them. “Thank you all, I’m fine.”

“But where’s Kara?” someone called from the shadows.

Cat opened her mouth to issue a quick sarcastic response, and realised that she had no idea what to say. James came to the rescue, pushing forwards through the group to offer Cat a hot drink, which she was very grateful for. “She texted me to say she was going looking for Kelly and Glenda,” he said simply, and Cat ran with that.

“Yes, after those two left, she said she was worried they’d get lost and went to find them. I told her to stay, but she insisted. What happened? Are they OK?” She decided playing dumb was the best approach here.

Winn took over now. “Well,” he said. “Glenda suddenly staggered in looking like Vodka Barbie and yelling something about Supergirl and Kelly, but when we got outside Supergirl had had to go to another emergency – she was just taking off. Kelly’s on the bench over there, with Glenda.” Cat looked where he pointed and saw Kelly lying down on one of the long table benches. Glenda was next to her, stroking her hair and talking to her. To her relief, it looked like Kelly was talking back.

“Maybe she was going to look for Kara?” Winn finished, and a few people nodded around him, obviously thinking that was likely.

“Hmm, actually she came for me,” Cat said with a shake of her head. She caught the eye of David, who’d strode forward to chat to her, as she continued, “Something in our cabin caught fire once Kara had gone and I was trapped. Supergirl…” she paused, not really sure how to explain the events of the last few minutes, and settled for, “found me.”

The eyes of nearly all the group were on her now. “Supergirl brought me here,” she said, getting into her stride now, “And said she was going to look for Kara. I’m sure she’ll find her soon.”

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed James put a hand over his eyes and she wondered why.

She turned to David, “What happened – I thought the storm was dying down?”

“We all did,” David said. The group began to disperse around the Hall again as the conversation became more mundane and the background noise level soon rose again. The manager strode over to the nearest bench and indicated that Cat should join him. “This surge came out of nowhere,” he said. “The news channels are saying it defied all regular weather patterns and meteorologists are mystified. But it should still blow over by morning.” His expression turned more serious as he looked carefully at the CEO. “Ms Grant, are you OK? What happened in the cabin?”

He listened as Cat explained about the tree falling, and his expression turned to alarm when she talked about the fire. “I don’t understand,” he said, stroking the stubble on his cheek. “There would have been nothing in there that was so highly flammable. Nothing should have gone up like that. Did one of your staff bring something along that was… dangerous?”

“They may be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, but none of them would put others at risk like that,” Cat said, her eyes narrowing. “I would have expected better from a company that prides itself on its safety record and ethical values.”

“Ms Grant, I promise you there was nothing in that cabin that should have gone up like that,” David put his hands up in protest. “I’ll be happy to talk about compensation about the tree – even that should never have happened. All those trees should have been far enough away that none would have landed on the cabin. We check them regularly. All I can think is that the wind somehow carried it, but that must have been a freakishly strong gust. But the fire…”

Cat wasn’t impressed by his attempts to debate liability, but she suddenly stopped in her arguments as she remembered Kara’s suitcase catching fire.

David saw her hesitate. “What is it?” he asked.

“There was… something,” she said. “Yesterday my assistant’s suitcase caught fire rather spectacularly….”

“Ah.” David said, simply.

“Ah?”

“I have got to know your assistant a little and have discovered that things are not always… straightforward with her.”

“Kara is the most straightforward pers-” she realised suddenly from his careful expression that David was implying that he knew more. And she coughed gently before changing tack. “Perhaps this is all best discussed in the morning?” she offered, “Once we’re all in full possession of the facts?”

David nodded, relieved. “Thank you, Ms Grant. Is there anything you need? Do you need medical attention?”

Cat realised that she actually felt better now than she had all evening. Maybe the shock of it all had… how would Winn put it?... rebooted her? “I’m fine, thank you,” she sniffed. “Although I’m sure a shower wouldn’t go amiss.”

“Once Kara returns we’ll sort out some temporary accommodation for you all. I think it best if we stay here tonight where everyone is together. We have emergency bedding…”

Cat couldn’t help but suppress a shudder at the thought of what “emergency bedding” might entail, but did her best to smile. The man was trying his best and the storm wasn’t his fault. As David moved away her treacherous thoughts turned to Kara. She hoped she was back soon.

 

***---***---***---***

  
On the other side of the forest, Kara landed slightly inelegantly on the twisting road that led, eventually, back to the highway. Two men in work gear and fluorescent jackets were standing in the rain, peering into the cab of their overturned truck. Gear from the back had spilled all over the road. Kara strode forward, staying out of the beams of the truck’s headlamps, hoping to God that Kelly’s T-shirt wasn’t clinging too closely to her as it quickly soaked through. “What happened?” she called through the storm.

The men started and one of them cupped his hand over his eyes against the rain to see who’d shouted out. “Supergirl?!” he yelled, sounding uncertain. Kara floated up into the air and flew forward to make the point that it was, indeed, her.

“Oh, thank God it’s you,” the workman said, relieved. “We’re engineers, called in from leave to help with the repairs from the storm, “We borrowed this truck and came as fast as we could, but we hit some mud we couldn’t see and the truck just skidded round the bend and, well…” he shrugged.

His partner took up the story. “We really need to get up there – can you help us with the truck?” he asked. “Steve here reckons we might be able to get her going again if we can right it,” he gestured to his colleague.

“Sure, no problem,” Kara asserted, and striding forward she quickly and gently righted the truck. She had no doubt it would be plenty banged up in the light of day, but the front end didn’t look too bad. She wiped water out of her face and shouted: “Do you want to try starting her up?”

The men nodded and one quickly climbed back in. The engine rattled and coughed and finally sputtered into silence. He tried a few more times, then shook his head, climbing back out despondently. “No good!”

Kara made a quick decision. “Right, well, if you gather up the gear that’s spilled, how about I give you a lift to where you’re going – was it far?”

The men smiled in relief and assured her that, no, it was just a little way past the turning for Carraway Forest, actually. They hurried to get everything together while Kara quickly worked out the safest place to hold and lift the truck from. When they’d recovered everything they could find in the dark the two clambered back in and gave her a thumbs up through the window.

“It might be a bit of a rough ride in the wind – are you ready, guys?” she yelled.

“You bet!”

And with that she gently lifted off, picking up speed as she rose higher. The flight was relatively short but took a lot of concentration to balance the truck without accidentally denting it by holding on too hard, and the wind was still buffeting them around. Finally, she spotted the flashing lights of several repair trucks and knew she’d reached their destination. She descended and gently set the truck down, coming round to the driver’s side window to check on her passengers, who looked exhilarated.

“OK?” she asked, pulling her wet hair away from her face.

“That was a wild ride, Supergirl! Thanks!”

“No problem!” she smiled, and not wanting to linger any longer than was necessary, she pushed off again from the ground, giving them a wave as she went. She was dying to get back to National City and help out there, but she supposed Kara had better make a reappearance now at Carraway Forest before people started to wonder.

The two workmen on the ground climbed out of their cab and ignored the shouts of their workmates as they gazed up at Supergirl, watching her departure.

After a moment, Steve turned to his friend. “Was it just me,” he said, “Or was she wearing…”

“Pajamas,” his buddy filled in. “Sure looked like it.”

“Well, I guess even Supergirl has to have downtime sometimes. Not sure I’ll ever think of loungewear in quite the same way again, though.”

His friend agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who knew there was different spelling of pajamas for Americans and Brits? I certainly didn't.  
> I'm glad you're all enjoying this so much. There'll be two more chapters to this fic and I have ideas for a sequel in the pipeline if I have time and if people would like to see it. 
> 
> Thanks again for all your support - more drama to come soon!


	10. Ch-ch-ch-changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara reflects on all the recent changes, and everyone gets ready to head home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I really wanted to post this before Christmas but I just didn't have time to finish it off. Hope you all enjoy it now :)

Cat wriggled further down into her hideous sleeping bag and tried to pretend she was in her bespoke bed back home with its beautiful Egyptian cotton sheets, rather than this mould-ridden monstrosity. She’d flat-out refused to use one when David had first brought them out along with the camping mats for them to stretch out on, but when he’d asked her if she’d rather just lie on a bench, shivering, she’d reluctantly picked the newest-looking one. It was at least dry and warm, but she felt like she’d need several showers in the morning after this had been clogging up her skin. Ugh.

She heard a muffled giggle from a few feet away and realised she’d grumbled out loud. Kara was finding this hilarious. At least her assistant had made sure she had a corner of the large cabin to herself. Well, apart from Kara, of course. She was trying desperately not to think too hard about that.

What a lot to take in. Her mind was racing. Of course, she’d known Kara’s secret for a few months now, and they’d both been dancing around that fact for a while, but to finally acknowledge it and then see her in action – as _Kara_ , not as Supergirl – was… well, something else. Add in her sudden fever, and the panic from the blaze, as well as all the other events of the day (30ft plummet, anyone?) and together it equalled insomnia.

Everyone had bedded down over an hour ago, and Michaela and David had left just a few large candles burning up on the stage at the front of the cabin. The wind was still howling outside but not nearly as ferociously as earlier that evening. In a different situation it would have been cosy. Kara had reappeared and thankfully had had the foresight to go back to their ruined cabin to retrieve her glasses and take off Cat’s belt before turning up at the main hall. When the shout had gone up that Kara was back James had immediately dashed outside to wrap her in his leather jacket. Naturally, on her smaller frame it effectively drowned her and successfully hid the Supergirl T-shirt, making her look far more fragile than she could ever be. She hadn’t heard any gossiping about Supergirl, and she was usually excellent at picking up on it, and so Cat was beginning to hope that they might have got away with it.

Fortunately, Kelly was making an excellent recovery and hadn’t needed a super airlift to hospital. David had instead determined that she was safe enough to wait for a regular ambulance to make its way to the forest, and she and Glenda had gone off with the medics a couple of hours ago. And now they were here, all lying on the floor on yoga mats and waiting for the storm to pass. There was no way on earth Cat could sleep. Instead she listened to the sounds around her and let her thoughts wander.

On the other side of the bench she was lying next to, Kara shifted in her sleeping bag again, and her boss involuntarily tensed. She wouldn’t be surprised if… ah, yes, there she went. Kara softly slid out of the sleeping bag and began padding across the floor towards the bathrooms.  The older blonde waited until she heard the quiet click of the door and then slipped out of her own sleeping bag to follow her.  She turned to carefully shut the door again and nearly jumped out of her skin when a low voice behind her said, “Hey, Cat,” into the gloom.

“Mother of-” she started, then placed a hand on her chest as she gathered herself. “Kara!” she hissed, turning quickly to fully shut the door, then spinning round to glare at her assistant in the dim, green glow of the emergency light. She wasn’t wearing her glasses and had obviously just been taking her hair out of its tie.

“Oh my gosh, I’m really sorry!” Kara whispered. “I thought you knew I was here!”

“Of course I knew you were here,” the CEO hissed back, “I just wasn’t expecting you to be lurking like a crazy stalker!”

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you-”

“Alright, alright,” Cat waved at her, “It’s just as well I was wide awake anyway.”

“Can’t sleep, huh?”

“Not even slightly. And you? Do you even _need_ to sleep?”

“Wha- yes, of course I do!” Kara whispered indignantly. “Just… maybe not for 8 hours a night.” Cat smirked a little at that admission. “Anyway,” Kara continued, “I was just going to…” she trailed off and made a vague gesture upwards.

“Ah, right…” Cat wasn’t sure why she was disappointed that Kara was leaving – she’d be back later. Kara seemed to sense her frustration and took a step nearer her, gently placing her hand on her shoulder. Cat liked this new, bold Kara. Normally that confidence only appeared when she was wearing that uniform. _Don’t think about her touching you. Don’t think about her touching you,_ she repeated like a mantra.

“I’ll try not to be too long,” Kara murmured. “I promise. I just hate to think there might be people I could be helping while I’m having a giant sleepover.” She seemed to make a decision abruptly and was opening the outer door before Cat had really registered that she’d moved. Her shoulder felt bare, suddenly, without Kara’s hand on it.

“Wait!” Cat hissed, scrambling after her secret superhero. She followed Kara outside and shivered. Thankfully the rain had stopped, but Spring didn’t seem to have come quite so early here. Kara stopped and turned back. “Are you just… going? Like that?” Cat wasn’t sure entirely what she meant, and Kara looked confused for a moment before coming to a sudden realisation.

“Oh!” Kara smiled, and quickly shrugged out of James’s huge leather jacket. She handed it to her nonplussed boss, who held the scruffy thing at arms’ length, wrinkling her nose slightly. “You should go back inside,” Kara gently insisted. “I don’t want you to get too cold. I promise we can talk tomorrow.”

“But that wasn’t-” But Kara was lifting off and was quickly lost from sight in the dark. It was only when she shivered again that Cat realised she was just standing there, staring upwards. Seeing Kara like this was going to take some getting used to.

She mentally shook herself and headed back inside to the relative warmth of the cabin to wait.

 

***---***---***---***---***

  
Around 3am Kara stifled a yawn as she flew back towards Carraway Forest. The first thing she’d done was dash back to her apartment to retrieve one of her spare suits and she’d breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she was in it. The last thing she needed was some repair worker snapping a picture of her flying around in that shirt. She’d intended on just a quick patrol to make sure things were in hand, but after checking in with the DEO she’d soon found herself working her cape off. Lucy had been right, there was nothing too serious, but there had been two pile ups and more than one set of cables were down, which she could help with.

As she mentally reviewed her evening she followed the line of the highway away from the coast and as the noise and glow of the city disappeared behind her she let herself think about what she’d just heard. Three people had died tonight as a result of the storm. Two men in the pileups she’d helped clear, and one woman who’d died in a freak accident in the suburbs after a chimney stack fell on her. She knew she might not have been able to save them anyway, but it left her feeling a bit hollow to know she’d been away when something like this had happened. She took a deep breath to try to relieve the ache it left inside her and pushed herself to fly faster towards the forest retreat, whilst not accidentally breaking the sound barrier. What she needed now was a bit of sleep. _Near Cat_ , her treacherous thoughts added, and she mentally shushed them. She couldn’t let herself think about Cat right now.

Soon she spotted the familiar cabins of Carraway Forest and she silently let herself drop down to the forest floor. She’d paused to listen and peer through the walls to make sure no one was awake who might see her, when she suddenly realised that there was a very familiar figure curled up in a sleeping bag just inside the door. Her vision snapped back to normal in shock and she hurried inside towards the sleeping figure. “Cat!” she called quietly, “What are you doing?! You could get hypothermia sleeping out here.”

Her boss jerked awake with no small amount of cursing and began to struggle out of the bag. Kara reached out to touch her mentor’s cheek and was relieved to find it was warm to the touch. Much to her amusement, her boss actually looked a little embarrassed as she clambered out of the bag.

“I, ah, just thought I’d wait a while out here as I couldn’t sleep…” she mumbled, not looking at Kara as she hopped around trying to untangle her legs.

“Mm-hm,” Kara said, amused, taking in the bed head look. “It sure looks like you were wide awake.”

“I just closed my eyes for a moment!” Cat hissed, finally glaring at Kara. She quickly went wide-eyed as she stumbled on the last bit of fabric and lurched backwards with an undignified squawk. Kara caught her gently and placed her back on her feet. She was aware that her hands lingered slightly longer than they needed to, but Cat wasn’t complaining.

The smaller woman cleared her throat after a moment to try to draw a line under what had just happened. “Was… everything OK?” she asked quietly.

Kara’s eyes darkened slightly at the memory of the pile-ups. “It could have been worse,” she said finally. “But there were a couple of… incidents.”

“I’m sorry, Supergirl,” Cat said, taking her hand in hers, and Kara felt a little jolt at being reminded of which persona she was in at the moment. She’d forgotten she was still wearing her cape. Gosh, she had to be more careful. Just because Cat knew now didn’t mean the whole world needed to know who she was.  “Thank you,” she said simply, grateful for her boss’s discretion, and gently rubbed her thumb over the back of her hand, looking long into those deep, hazel eyes.

There was a sudden click to the left of them and Kara started as she realised someone was coming out into the entrance. Damn, but she was distracted! With a blur of motion she fled into the bathrooms and in the space of a moment was back again in her regular sleeping clothes with Cat’s rumpled sleeping bag around her shoulders to hide her ridiculous T-shirt.  She whipped out her phone and when a very sleepy-looking Ed stumbled through the door she looked for all the world as if she was taking a message from Ms Grant.

“Wha- Oh, Ms Grant! Kara! I didn’t know you were here. I was just, um…” He rubbed his eyes blearily.

Kara’s estimation of Cat rose even higher in that moment, if it were possible to do so, as her boss recovered from the shock of near discovery and Kara’s rapid change in the blink of an eye. “Let’s not pretend I want to hear the end of that sentence, Ted,” she said in a dangerously low voice. “Get out of my sight before we all have nightmares.”

“Uh, sure, sorry…” and Ed shuffled quickly into the men’s room.

Kara let out a big sigh of relief when he’d gone and looked at Cat, who was frowning. “Do I even want to know what you just did with your clothes?” she asked.

“Um,” Kara shifted nervously, “Possibly not?”

Cat sighed. “We really need to do something about your fashion. What do you do, have clothes secreted away around the city?”

“Er,” Kara coughed in embarrassment, “Sort of…”

Her mentor’s expression was unreadable. “Come on,” she said eventually, “I definitely need some sleep now, even if you don’t.” She reached up seemingly towards Kara’s cheek and the superhero reached up to meet her hand, only to be startled when Cat laughed and reached round her. “Kara, I think I might need my sleeping bag back, don’t you?”

“Oh!” she pulled it off her shoulders and quickly tried to turn it back the right way out before handing it back in a crumpled heap. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean, that is-”

“Oh, shush and come to bed,” Cat whispered over her shoulder with a dangerous gleam in her eyes as she slipped back into the hall.

Kara thought her heart might actually have stopped and it was only the sound of running water from the gents that made her move from that spot.

  
***---***---***---***

  
“I’m telling you, Keira, I feel fine!” Cat snapped at her assistant much later in the day. The rest of the night had been uneventful and the violent storm of the night before had left blue sky in its wake. Everyone had been in high spirits after the enforced group sleepover, if a little gritty-eyed after such a disturbed night, and the staff had salvaged the belongings that they could from Cat and Kara’s lodge. Kelly and Glenda’s stuff was mostly fine, it seemed, apart from perhaps a little smoke damage, but most of their stuff would have to be tossed.

“But, you’re being so…uhm…” Kara tailed off at Cat’s expression.

“Just because I chose to take the time to ask Winn if he slept well and to fetch some water for James after he _inexplicably_ choked at the same time,” she carried on, as if Kara had never spoken. She finally looked up at their anxious expressions and sighed, tossing her hair dramatically. “I do _occasionally_ take interest in my employees’ wellbeing you know,” she added, witheringly.

“Well, yes, of _course_ you do, Ms Grant,” Cat noted the return to her formal name. “It’s just… you’re usually not so, uh, direct about it. I know you didn’t get much sleep last night and, well…” she coughed nervously, wringing her hands slightly, “Usually after a poor night’s sleep you’re a little more….” she gestured vaguely and looked hopefully at her boss.

Cat grimaced, walking round in a circle to try and calm down. In the distance she could hear the noise of the rest of the group preparing for their final activity session: archery. Paintball was out of the question, sadly, since so much of the course had been damaged by the storm. Kara had pulled her away from them all after she offered Ed a tissue after he sneezed. “Look,” she said finally, “I just feel a bit… different this morning, is all. Energised. Less… achy than I usually am first thing in the morning. It’s strange, but I’m making the most of it. Is that straightforward enough for you?” She rubbed at her hand absentmindedly while they talked.

Instead of looking reassured, though, Kara narrowed her eyes at the subconscious action. “How’s your hand?” she asked.

“What? I… why does that matter?” Cat spluttered, caught off-guard by the question. She’d re-bandaged it herself after her shower in the staff cabin this morning. “It, it’s fine!”

“Then you won’t mind me having a quick look then, will you?” Kara asked, her voice still strangely hard.

“Why on earth do you need to have a look? It’s fine! Honestly, don’t you _trust_ me?”

Kara looked a bit hurt, but pressed her, “Why don’t you want me to look? Clark told me Kryptonite can sometimes do strange things – I just want to check.”

Cat finally caved at the puppy dog eyes, and thrust her hand out wordlessly. Kara took it ever so gently and carefully began to unwrap the bandage. Cat turned her face away so she couldn’t see Kara’s expression, but she heard her slight gasp as the last fold fell away.

“Cat… it… it really _is_ fine. I mean, there’s nothing there! Not even a scar!”

Cat didn’t say anything.

“Cat?” Kara tugged on her arm very gently. “Cat? Why won’t you look at me?”

“I… I don’t know why I lied to you,” the older woman said softly, finally turning back to her friend. “It’s just… when I saw it was gone it… it scared me. What does it mean? Am I going to get sick? Make you sick?” she cursed inwardly as she felt tears pricking at her eyes. Maybe the lack of sleep had affected her more than she thought. She quickly coughed and swallowed as she tried to pull herself together.

“Hey, hey,” Kara said, and Cat could tell she was stopping herself from reaching out to her. That was a good thing, right? People might be looking their way. “Cat, it’s OK. I don’t feel ill at all, so it’s probably fine. And you said you feel good?” Cat nodded, “I feel great, full of energy, not as stiff as I can be first thing. And my eyes… I didn’t need my glasses to read my text from Carter this morning.”

“Well, that’s great!” Kara enthused, “Maybe in humans Kryptonite works a little differently? Maybe instead of making you sick it’s… healed you? Oh, um, is your eyesight, er, any better than normal? I mean, not normal for you, normal for,” she whispered, “humans?”

“Kara. I’m fine. It’s not made me into you. I can’t see through walls. I just feel as though years have dropped off me. I feel like thirty again instead of fi- ah, forty-seven.”

Kara didn’t comment on that. Cat was sure she knew her real age anyway. “Look, we can’t figure this out here,” she said. “But when we get back would you be willing to let a friend of mine run a couple of tests on you?”

“No! Absolutely not! I am not some _animal_ to be poked and prodded with things in case something scientifically interesting has happened to me!”

Kara was shaking her head, looking a little like she regretted her choice of words. “No, no, I don’t mean like that. Just a blood test, maybe a scan… they can tell you how the Kryptonite’s affected you and make sure it’s not going to make you sick, uh, later on.”

“Later on? How much later on? Is this space-rock going to give me cancer?!”

“Cat, please!” Kara pleaded, “Keep your voice down!”

A couple of the staff were looking their way so Cat quietened down. She didn’t like to admit it, but the thought of this ridiculous rock affecting her somehow was scaring her. “OK,” she said slowly. “Your friends can run their little tests. But-“ she cut off Kara’s thanks, “Not tonight. No, seriously. It can’t be tonight. I’ve promised Carter I’ll be home for him to make dinner. But some time this week… I’ll ask my assistant to make room in my diary.”

She was pleased to see Kara’s mouth quirk at that last bit. But before she could say any more they heard the voice of Michaela calling them and they hurried over to re-join the group.

 

“Now,” Michaela was saying. “Remember what I told you about using the wrist guards. Break up into groups of three or four, one group to each target. Take it in turns to shoot and do NOT go to collect your arrows until we call a halt. Got that?”

Everyone chorused, “Yes!” with varying degrees of enthusiasm and they all made to choose a bow from the rack.

“Heavier draws down this end, lighter draws for beginners down that end!” Michaela indicated.

Kara automatically headed for one of the stronger bows, then suddenly realised she shouldn’t be seen using the same bow as, say, 6-foot tall James. She picked up a lighter bow instead, just at the same time as someone else lifted it, and she was horrified when there was a sort of sad crunch and a _sproing_ and the bow snapped in her hands. Cat, who’d unwittingly been holding the other end of the bow, looked at her, stunned.

“I’m sorry!” Kara gasped. “I was distracted! I didn’t mean to… you have to help me - can you tell her it got caught and sort of… twisted?” she pleaded.

Cat looked unsure but when Michaela came to see what the problem was she swiftly became her usual acerbic self. “Well, I don’t know what materials you make these bows from,” she spat, “But they’re clearly not fit for purpose. This could have had my eye out! On _top_ of all the other injuries sustained here!”

Sensing yet another potential lawsuit, Michaela couldn’t apologise quickly enough. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Grant. I don’t understand how this could have happened – these are supposed to be double-laminated reinforced. They must have sent a faulty batch – please, use one of the others slightly further up the rack. If they’re too strong I’ll find another suitable one in the stores.”

Mollified, Cat took the next bow along and Kara picked up an innocent looking red one, handling it as if it were about to bite her. The two of them joined the last remaining group with space, which fortunately contained Winn and James. James was already lined up waiting for the cue to take the first shot. “Hey, Ms. Grant!” Winn called, trying to be calm that his boss had joined his group. “Do you need any help getting set up? James and I are pretty good at this so maybe we could-” out of the corner of his eye he suddenly spotted James shaking his head frantically, and he amended his sentence, “Er, maybe _I_ could give you some tips?”

Cat just glared at him as James took his shots one by one, landing one in the outer bullseye and two in the next ring out – pretty respectable. Kara suppressed a laugh as Winn fidgeted while Cat continued to stare at him even as James went to collect his arrows. When he moved to take his go he’d just drawn back the string for his first shot when his boss leaned towards his ear and said, “By all means, show me how it’s done.” He nearly shot the arrow into the sky in shock but managed to let loose in the right direction, wincing as it clipped the top of the target and tumbled into the safety netting behind. His next two shots at least hit the target. James clapped a hand on his shoulder in sympathy when he came back with his arrows, red-faced.

Kara now stepped up to take her turn, and she actually heard them all suck in a breath as she (carefully) prepared to shoot. Exasperated, she spun round to berate them all and was a bit surprised when they ducked away: “Guys! I _know_ to be careful, alright?! Don’t _worry_ so!”

“Kara, dear,” Cat said weakly, “Could you please take the arrow away from the bow? Carefully? Or point it somewhere else?”

“Oh.” Kara was mortified. She’d forgotten she’d drawn back the string and had the arrow ready to go. It was easy to forget these things when you couldn’t really feel it. “Sorry guys, I’ll be careful.”

She tried really hard not to overdraw the string and snap another bow, but she was so careful that her first arrow actually fell short of the target. She heard muffled sniggering from behind her as she nocked her second arrow. This time she hit the target on the outer bullseye. Her third arrow landed just on the edge of the inner bullseye. “Woo!” she shouted, jumping up and down.

“Alright, alright, you made your point,” Cat said, “Go you for not impaling anyone.”

Kara’s face fell, but then she noticed Cat’s slight smile and her heart lifted again.

“I guess it falls to me, though, to show you all how to _really_ shoot,” Cat continued, looking pointedly at Winn while James hid his laugh with a cough into his hand.

“I’ll just, er, I’ll get your arrows for you, Kara!” he said and hurried to fetch them.

“Thanks, I guess!” Kara called, as the other two laughed again. She turned round and addressed Cat, “So, are you as good at shooting with a bow as you are at paintball? I mean, I guess the aiming part is basically the same, am I right?”

The CEO smiled at the compliment to her shooting skills. “It’s been a while since I’ve used one of these,” she said, gesturing with the bow, “But I used to be pretty good, yes.” Behind Kara, Winn was straining to remove her last arrow from the target, and James jogged across to help him. Cat ignored all this. “You’re right, of course,” she went on, “I _am_ a good shot – it was pretty useful for impressing male executives when I was younger. They would always brag about how good they were at hunting, then when they inevitably invited me to a shooting range for a “real” power lunch, I would show them that I was more than capable of holding my own. And handing their arses to them too.”  
  
Kara laughed out loud at that, as Winn and James returned, out of breath, with her arrows. “Thanks guys!” she grinned at them, and moved aside for Cat to take her turn. Despite her bragging, she noticed that her friend seemed a bit tense, and she was handling the bow with what seemed like exaggerated care.

As Cat lined up her shot she reflected on just how much had changed in the last 48 hours. She and her boss had finally stopped their dance of “I know you know but I know you know I’m not ready for you to know, you know?” New friendships had been made and old ones reinforced. She’d discovered a new-found love of team games. She’d resolved to ask Winn and the DEO to make her another couple of suits. And she and Cat had become closer, with a deeper level of trust than before this weekend had begun. She watched her friend take a breath slowly as she aimed, and pondered that their dance wasn’t really over yet. Thinking about the conversation they still needed to have back home filled her chest with butterflies.

Cat exhaled and released the arrow. It flew true and thudded home in the dead centre of the target. Their boss didn’t jump up and down but she did look a little smug. Kara caught James and Winn’s eyes and grinned silently. Cat had out-classed them all. Maybe not everything had changed after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just one more chapter, an epilogue really, to cover when everyone has returned home and Kara and Cat finally have that conversation...


	11. Myriad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to head home from Carraway Forest, and there are some surprises in store as everyone reaches National City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this has been a long time coming. You'll see that this chapter took quite a different direction. Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: any text from or references to the Myriad episode belongs wholly to CBS, CCW, Supergirl and co. I'm just a fan.

“Well,” said Kara. “Gosh, that was a narrow miss.”

Cat said nothing. She just stared at the huge tree branch lying next to her Porsche. Kara shifted her weight from foot to foot and waited for some kind of response from her boss. Behind them, the rest of the group were slowly filing onto the bus and Kara was anxious to get over there with her tablet and make sure everyone and everything was checked off her list. They’d been standing here a couple of minutes now and Cat seemed to have gone into some kind of trance at the sight of her car.

The PA cleared her throat again, and finally Cat jerked into life. “Would you just look at that?!”

Kara jumped at the suddenness of it. “Wha- What do you mean?” she asked nervously. Cat seemed to have slipped seamlessly back into ‘boss mode’.

“What do I mean? What do I mean?!” and now several of the others were looking over as Cat’s voice continued to rise in volume. Kara grimaced and tried to resist the urge to shush her.

“Have you _seen_ this scratch?!” the older blonde demanded. Kara looked more closely at what was, now she pointed it out, a fairly sizeable scratch on the passenger-side wing. “Oh,” she said, relieved that Cat wasn’t having some kind of seizure. “Is that all?”

“ALL?” Cat yelled, making Kara jump again. “That scratch goes right into the bodywork – look at it!” she insisted, when her assistant showed no sign of actually looking.

“OK, OK, I’m looki-“

“Have you any idea how hard it is to get replacement parts for this car?”

“Uh…” Kara shook her head, mutely.

“This is a limited edition – they only made ten of these, Keira. I’ll have to order the part specially. And I can’t be seen driving around in a damaged car.”

“Oh, well, er…” Kara didn’t really know how to respond to this. “Isn’t the main thing that the branch in fact mostly missed your car? I mean, it could have flattened it…”

But Cat stared wide-eyed at her. “ _Mostly_ missed?! How about if I _mostly_ pay your wages this month? Or what if I only _mostly_ fired Winn? How would that be?!”

“Ms Grant,” Kara implored, “You really need to calm down-”

“No, what I _need_ is to-”

“You could always ride on the bus with us, Ms Grant. Y’know, if your car’s too badly damaged.” James’s deep voice had never seemed more beautiful to Kara than at that moment.  

James’s suggestion managed to successfully derail Cat’s rant, and she blinked at him for a moment. She looked at the staff bus with a palpable sense of disgust, before gathering herself and addressing her Art Director.

“Sit on there?” she said slowly. “Where other people have sat before?”

James nodded, while Kara held her breath.

“With other people on there as well?”

James nodded again.

Cat just stared at him without moving, and Kara was just beginning to wonder whether they’d finally broken her, when she spun on her heel and said, “Keira, tell Auto Gold that they will be receiving my car tomorrow and that I expect a new wing to be fitted by the end of the day. They managed to drag themselves out here to fit a new wheel yesterday, after all. I expect this is just about within their meagre capabilities. I’m sure this is roadworthy for now.” There was a rather significant pause before she added, pointedly, “ _Isn’t it,_ Keira?”

“Wha-? Oh. Um…” And Kara discreetly coughed, turned her head away from the bus slightly and slid her glasses down her nose as she examined the car.

“I’m sure it’s absolutely fine, Ms Grant,” she said, a few moments later, pushing her glasses into place again. Cat nodded, looking a little distracted. James watched the interaction, quietly, and Kara knew she’d be having a conversation with him again later.

“Kara, James, come on!” Winn called from over by the bus.

“Oh, looks like we’re the last two for the bus, Kara,” James said. “I’ll just check everyone’s on board shall I, while you make sure Ms Grant has everything she needs?” And he gently plucked the tablet from his friend’s unresisting hands. She smiled at him gratefully before turning back to her boss.

“Cat,” she said quietly, “Is everything alright? Do you need anything?”

“Why must you ask such ridiculous questions?!” her employer snapped back, but then she stopped herself and sighed slightly.

“I’m sorry, Kara, that was uncalled for,” she said more quietly. “I just feel a little… on edge. Like there’s something that’s just not right. Something… I’m not sure. Like I should be watching for something. Does that sound absurd?”

She hated seeing Cat so vulnerable. “No, it doesn’t sound absurd,” she reassured her. “Can you explain it any more than that?”

“No, it’s just a… feeling,” Cat replied. “Can’t you feel it?”

Kara paused for a moment to make sure, but then had to shake her head. “I’m sorry,” she said. “Look, if it gets worse or doesn’t go away you can always call me and I can come over later after Carter has gone to bed.”

Cat’s expression changed at that and there was suddenly a rather dangerous glint in her eyes, “After Carter has gone to bed, eh?” she smirked. “Why, Ms Danvers, anyone would think-”  
  
“No! No, no! Well, I mean, I guess if – no!” her assistant spluttered.

But Cat laughed, and turned to get into her car. “Y’know, Kara, suddenly I feel a lot better.”

She pulled the door shut, grinned at her assistant, and then with a roar of the engine she was off, heading back in the direction of the coast.

Kara watched her go feeling more confused than ever. As she headed over to the bus she paused to look back at the Carraway Forest signs. She wasn’t going to forget this place in a hurry. Maybe they’d be able to visit again before too long – it might do them all good. She gave David a final wave as she climbed on board and the doors hissed shut behind her.

 

\---***---***---***---***---

 

An hour down the road, Cat still hadn’t shaken the nagging feeling that something was wrong. It wasn’t anything she could put her finger on… just a deep sense of unease before. It wasn’t something she’d experienced before and as she approached the turning for the highway she absent-mindedly rubbed her left hand.

Perhaps some music would take her mind off things? Yes, that was it. “Music!” she called out to her sound system. It chimed a response so she knew it was ready for her next instruction. “Volume 20. Shuffle. Play.”

Her digital music system instantly selected a tune at random and sprang into life. She started and actually swerved the car slightly as the unmistakable piano intro of Elton John’s _Tiny Dancer_ burst out of the speakers. She had a sudden and vivid flashback to her fever-induced behaviour the previous night. “Off! Off!” she squeaked before she actually crashed the car. In the relative silence of the wind and roar of the engine she took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself again. She needed to find a way to ensure Kara and her friends never spoke of that incident to anyone, _ever_.

As she joined the highway she decided she’d risk trying the music system once more. Clearing her throat, she called again: “Music!” After it chimed in response, she decided to be a bit more specific this time. “Playlist: Kara.” Another chime. “Shuffle. Play.”

This time she was so surprised by the music that came pouring out that it took the blare of the horn of a passing truck to make her realise that she’d actually drifted into the outside lane. “Off!” she yelled again, followed immediately by: “Text Kara!”

\---

A couple of miles further back, Kara glanced down as her phone dinged in her hand. The atmosphere on the bus was rowdy – everyone seemed to have enjoyed the weekend and they were making the most of these last few hours together. A few rows back, James had started a card game and Winn had tried to get everyone interested in a sing-along before he was shouted down by the girls on the back row. She’d spent the first half hour next to Ed, but he’d moved to join in with the cards now and she was actually glad to have a little space to herself.

She saw that the incoming text was from her boss and couldn’t help but smile.

“ **You are sadly deluded if you think you may only work for me from 9 to 5**.”

It took her a moment to figure out what on earth she was on about but then burst out laughing, drawing curious glances from the girls across from her. She quickly texted back: “ **You found my music again!!! Who doesn’t like a bit of Dolly??** ”

She sat back and waited for a reply. As she tapped her fingers idly on the screen she let her focus drift out and searched for Cat’s unmistakable heartbeat, telling herself that she was just checking she was OK. Ah, there it was. Was it her, or was it slightly quicker than normal?

Her phone dinged again.

“ **She is a hard-working woman, that’s for sure, and I can appreciate that. But country music?! No. And as for that hair** …”

Kara snorted again, and sent back: “ **Perhaps you should try the next track instead**.”

She waited a couple of minutes for the reply this time.

“ **Under no circumstances may you share my umbrella. It is for one, ergo it has space for one only. Millennials have awful taste in music.”**

Grinning again, Kara texted: “ **Well, perhaps the next track will be more to your taste?** ”

“ **When have I ever stopped believing in you?”** came the response after a couple more minutes.

“ **I’ll hold on to that feeling as we journey** ,” Kara sent back.

“ **OK, that pun crossed a line. It’ll have to be the radio from now on** ,” Cat responded. Kara smiled to herself, and settled in for some fun.

The next hour passed quickly, with regular snarky texts from her friend – and... was that a hint of flirting she caught every now and then? She was pondering some slightly more daring words when she suddenly realised that everything around her had gone very, very quiet. Sitting up straight, she looked about her. No one was sitting in groups any more. There was no conversation. Every single person sat rigid in their seat, staring straight forwards.

“Um, guys?” Kara called. Not one person moved or even looked at her.

“James? Winn?” she tried, looking in their direction. But her friends sat, unmoving. She unclipped her seatbelt and walked back up the aisle. “James?” she tried again when she reached him. She waved her hand in front of his eyes. Nothing. “James!” she called again, this time shaking him gently. He rocked with the motion but showed no sign of having heard her. Winn was just the same. Panicking slightly, she looked about for any obvious sign of what had caused this. A quick X-ray of the bus showed nothing untoward. No gadgets or electronic devices. She expanded her hearing with a slight wince and could hear no unusual voices or signals – but then even she couldn’t hear everything.

She strode quickly down to the front of the bus and tried to get the driver’s attention. Nothing she did worked until she actually grabbed the wheel. That got a response as the driver angrily tried to jerk it back and the whole bus swerved. She quickly let go, not wanting to crash, and waited to see if the driver would do anything else. Nope. He went back to staring straight ahead, seemingly focussed solely on the road.

Anxiety building, she looked out the windows. They were in the outer suburbs of National City now, and the road seemed… unusually quiet. Everyone seemed to be driving at the same speed, for a start. No one was racing past impatiently.  There were no sirens or horns. What was going on?

She returned to her seat, for lack of anything else to do, and suddenly thought of Cat, surely nearing home now. She sent a quick, simple text, not wanting to alarm her: “ **Have you noticed anything unusual?** ” Then she sat back, keeping watch out of the window, waiting for the bus to take them in to the City centre. If it wasn’t heading back to CatCo she could always bail through the door.

Oh geez, Cat was taking a long time responding this time, after her rapid-fire texts earlier. _Please, Rao, don’t let anything have happened to her…_

\---

Cat had been enjoying the background chatter of the radio while she exchanged increasingly outrageous texts with Kara. Suddenly, as she crossed the boundary into the City, the chatter stopped and was replaced with white noise. She glared at the display on the dashboard. “Restart!” she called. The system chimed, then flashed as it switched itself off and on again, the IT answer to seemingly every problem. “Radio City,” she tried again. There was that hiss of static. “Radio CTCO,” she tried instead. Again, just that annoying hiss. Every station she tried was the same. “Stupid sound system was too clever for its own good,” she muttered to herself as she switched it off. Yet another thing to add to the list for the garage.

Her ears felt like they were kind of buzzing somehow, and she shook her head slightly to try to get rid of the sensation. The air must have been cooler up in that forest. She hoped she wasn’t coming down with something – she couldn’t stand germs.

Suddenly her phone made the special chime that signalled a text from Carter. “Read text!” she called out. “ **Hi Mom** ,” the machine intoned. “ **What’s up in National City? Dad says they’re shutting the roads.** ”

What?! If this was another dumb trick from her ex to keep Carter from her then he’d better hire a good lawyer. Her phone made the other ding that she knew would be another text from Kara, but she’d have to wait a minute. Glancing at the road signs she signalled to pull back in to the inside lane, ready to head off the freeway into the city centre.

“Reply to Carter!” she snarled, and remembered just in time that she was cross at his father, not him. “ **I don’t know what he’s talking about. I’m on the road and it’s fine. See you later sweetheart. xx** ”

She reached the underground garage for her apartments in record time. Traffic sure was quiet this evening. Maybe there _had_ been an incident somewhere after all. Her ears still felt sort of odd, like there was something she couldn’t quite hear. Whatever it was, the buzzing was getting very annoying now, and she shook her head again trying to be rid of it as she strode into the foyer, automatically holding out her hand for her mail as she passed the front desk. She’d walked right past before she realised no one had acknowledged her and she stopped in her tracks. Odd. Even Supergirl incidents couldn’t normally keep her doorman away from his duty. She’d made sure of it.

With an exasperated sigh, she leaned around the gleaming white desk and spotted Trevor and Leon typing away at their desks. When the sigh didn’t attract their attention she cleared her throat, quietly. Her employees knew that if she had to do it loudly they would never hear it again nor work within 50 miles of her again.

Leon and Trevor continued at their desks.

“Really!” she said, finally. “A weekend of teambuilding exercises and you think my expectations are anything lower than they were before?”

Still nothing. Not even a flinch. Had she lost her touch after two nights in that godforsaken forest? With an “Ugh!” she strode round the desk and right up to the two men. They were more than doormen, far more than security. It would take her ages – well, it would take Kara ages, she corrected herself – to find anyone as… _satisfactory_ as these two.

“Did that damn rock make me invisible, too?” she demanded of them both, looking right at them. Nothing. She waved a hand in front of their faces. “Hello?” Nothing. Then she finally caught sight of the monitors they were working at. What… what were those symbols? Was that code? No, wait… these looked familiar, kind of like… Kryptonian? She’d seen a few symbols before. Oh, just great.

“Well,” she announced to no one and everyone. I guess I’ll just have to get my own mail then,” and headed to the back room. She’d never been in here before, but it was obvious which mail locker was hers – it was by far the biggest. Also, the big “C GRANT” on the front was a give-away. She hesitated for a moment and looked over at the huge bunch of keys hanging from Trevor’s belt. Of course, she had no idea which was hers, and she was damned if she was going to spend all evening trying each and every single one of them. They looked kind of flimsy though…

“I wonder if I can just…” she took hold of the locker door and gave it a good yank. With a yelp she fell over backwards as the door came right off in her hand and the whole stand of lockers wobbled ominously. “What the – what kind of cheap shit have these imbeciles been buying?! I pay for quality. Someone will be having words in the future,” she muttered as she picked herself off the floor and dusted herself off.

She grabbed her mail – a single package today – and turned to head straight back to her car. Remembering Carter’s text then, she pulled out her phone and sent simply: “ **Stay where you are until I tell you. I love you xx** ”

Her expression turned grim as she climbed back into the Porsche. There was something going on, and CatCo was going to get to the bottom of it.

 

\---***---***---***---***---

 

The staff bus pulled up at CatCo Plaza with a hiss and a judder. The driver pulled the door lever and then sat unmoving. Without a word, all the staff stood up and silently made their way in file off the bus and towards the building. Kara stood, staring, in her place until they’d all left – even the driver followed. Outside the bus, streams of people marched past, intent on whatever their destination was. There was next to no traffic now, just a few buses she could hear rumbling in the distance.

Her texts to Lucy had gone unanswered, calls to the DEO rang out. Even Cat wasn’t replying any more. Whatever was happening, she was on her own for now. At a loss for anything else to do, she ducked round the lines of people and followed her colleagues in through the building. A greeting to the front of house died on her lips as she saw all of them sitting stiffly at their desks, typing. When she craned her head round to look at one of the monitors her heart skipped as she recognised a jumble of English and Kryptonian characters flying across the screen. As she scanned it quickly it didn’t seem to make much sense but a few words stuck out: “Heating” “Warming” “CO2” “Methane” “Radiation”… were they all researching global warming?

After just a moment’s hesitation, Kara ducked into the empty stairwell and dashed to the top of the building, where she’d hidden a spare suit behind a loose panel in the wall. In a blur, Supergirl was ready to face… whatever this was.

She dashed again onto the roof and flew down onto Ms Grant’s balcony to make her usual entrance, in case anyone was watching. Someone was standing there like he owned the place, which he most certainly did not. “Max! Was this your doing?!” she demanded as she strode towards him. The anger on her face was enough to make enough the self-confident Lord step hastily backwards, hands outstretched.

“No, no,” he said hastily, “I assure you this is _not_ my doing.” He put a desk between them, just in case.

Kara stopped, and looked from Max to Winn and the others around them. “But… why aren’t you affected by whatever this is, then?” she asked, not totally satisfied with his answer.

“ _This_ ,” Max intoned dramatically, “Is something I saw coming, and took necessary precautions.” He tapped the device over his ear that she just now noticed.

“You saw it coming?? Then why didn’t you- couldn’t you – people are slaves to this, this, whatever it is! Why didn’t you warn us? Or anything!”

Max tried to placate her again, stepping further backwards until he backed into the desk behind. Ed, sitting behind it, didn’t even grunt as it wobbled. “I did all I could, I assure you, no I did,” he added quickly as Kara growled low in her throat. “I only had a day’s warning and I couldn’t risk it getting out that I knew – no one would be able to help then. I had time only to finish this inhibitor and one other set.”

“An inhibitor? Is it blocking a signal of some kind, then?” Kara’s curiosity overrode her dislike of the man in front of her and his attitudes towards, well, almost everything.

“Yes, it’s a signal tuned to the human brain and our unique chemistry. It seems that… others…” he gestured towards Kara, ignoring her grimace of distaste, “Are mostly immune.”

Kara turned on the spot and paced, feeling helpless, as Max watched. When she said nothing, he added: “I think you know where the signal’s coming from.”

She stopped at that and spun to face him again. “I don’t-” and suddenly she knew. “Non. This was his plan all along.”

Max nodded.

Kara frowned as she remembered what else Max had said. “But, you said you made two inhibitors?” Max nodded but looked hesitant. “Well, where’s the other set? We could use it to save someone – someone who can help us.”  


“I, uh, I’m afraid I’ve already done that,” Max said with a slight smile as Cat’s private elevator slid open. Kara started. She’d been so focussed on Max that she hadn’t heard it. Her jaw dropped as Cat strode out, sunglasses firmly in place and her eyes fixed on her phone, as if everything was normal.

“Keira,” Cat drawled as she strolled towards her office, “Call Harrison Ford and tell him that I’m flattered but once and for all I do not date older men – especially when they’re married.”

She had no idea what was going on, but Kara decided to play along. “Ahem,” she coughed, and Cat turned to face her. “Oh!” she said, finally whipping off the sunglasses. “Supergirl! Well, what a pleasant surprise. What, do we have a 6pm?”

Her boss was one hell of an actor. Well, she was damned good too.

“You’re not a mindless drone,” she said, simply.

“No, I learned that lesson when Demi Moore and I wore the same dress to the premiere of Ghost. Never again,” she deadpanned, focussed on her phone all the while.

“Cat,” Max finally spoke up, and was all smiles. “I see you got my gift.”

Cat finally acknowledged his presence and turned to him, looking surprised. “Your gift? Oh, those exquisite and yet slightly tasteless earrings. Yes, yes I did.”

Max winced, “Ah, you can’t expect perfection in a creation of this intricacy in just a few hours, Cat, surely. There’s always next time.”

“Max, darling, I expect perfection every time, no matter what the time,” Cat said, one arm of her sunglasses in her mouth. “If I’d known we had a guest I would have baked a cake. Or told Keira to. Or maybe not,” she added, without a glance in Kara’s direction. “I get the feeling that that isn’t her forte.”

Kara fought hard now not to twitch her lips into a smile, then spun again to face the balcony at another sudden noise, a rush of air, and she knew who to expect before he strode confidently around the corner. “Non,” she said simply.

“Yes,” he answered, looking at Cat. “Do I not merit cake, human?” Cat just stared at him. “Hmf,” was all the general said, and spared her not another glance.

\---

Much of what followed went over the CEOs head, not that she would ever admit it. She gathered that there was something called ‘Myriad’, that this was Non and his goons’ doing. So far she’d managed to resist the urge to toss her head – she didn’t want Max or that Non to see that she wasn’t wearing his hideous earrings after all. She wasn’t about to be ignored though.

“You’re not harnessing their intelligence – you’ve enslaved them,” she interjected.

“You’re using mind control to solve the world’s problems?” Max just had to be involved. “So National City is, what, a giant thinktank?”

Non simply snorted. “You’ll all soon realise the simple brilliance of Myriad,” he insisted. “It is the only way for Earth to avoid the same fate as Krypton. It’s what Astra wanted,” he said finally, looking straight at her superhero.

“Aunt Astra wanted _none_ of this,” she yelled. “She wouldn’t have wanted it done this way – there are other ways, Non! There has to be!”

“Ah, but she _did_ want this,” Non hissed, and he no longer looked amiable – only dangerous. “She helped create this and to recreate it here.”

“I stood by you in the blood rites,” Kara insisted, and Cat knew she’d have to ask her about those. “We stood together, for Astra. Think of her – I know that she would have wanted to find another way.”

“You’re wrong,” the Kryptonian general spat. “I knew her fully, and I know this was her wish.”

He looked around at the staff working away before he turned back to look at Kara, a dangerous glow in his eyes. “And now I’ve known loss and lived with it. Allow me to return the favour.”

“What-” Kara started, and cut herself off as Winn, James and Kelly, her head still bandaged, stood up and turned to face them.

“Kelly!” Cat couldn’t help herself. “What are you even doing here?! Not that I don’t admire your dedication but you should really be at the hos-”

“Myriad is the only way,” Kelly intoned, speaking over her and somehow looking through her. “You will see, and you will know.”

“Non, let them go,” Kara pleaded. “It’s me you want not them. What are you doing?” That last part was to her three friends who walked silently and unhesitatingly over to the staff balcony and Cat’s supposedly private balcony.

“Oh my God,” Cat said as she realised they were going to climb up. She ran towards her own balcony, where Kelly was pulling herself up. The others rushed to where Winn and James were climbing on the other balcony. Non smirked, and with a blur he was gone.

Cat watched, horrorstruck, as Kelly and the others turned round on the ledge to face them and spread their arms. Something was burning inside her as she watched, helpless. She was practically vibrating with energy but there was nowhere to channel it, nothing she could do.

“Catch,” she dimly heard James say, and time seemed to slow as all three of them slowly tipped backwards, expressionless, and over the edge. She must have screamed, because her throat felt raw. Max turned away and hid his face – the coward – as her brave Kara soared over the edge and down.

How long was it taking them to fall? She would watch – she owed them that at least. The silence was eerie – there should be screams and cries for something like this. But her three employees simply fell, boneless, doll-like, ever downwards.

The feeling of burning grew as she watched Supergirl catch one, two – ohmygod, she wasn’t going to make a third. Time seemed to slow even more and her vision tunnelled. This wasn’t happening – Kelly was falling closer and closer to the floor…

An onlooker would have seen a sudden burst of green light and heard a pop, but no one was watching Cat Grant. All eyes that could bear it were on Supergirl and the fallers.

Cat felt a rush and release of that energy burning inside her, her vision blurred green and then suddenly she was falling right beside Kelly. Everything happened so fast that there was time only to react, not to wonder. All she _could_ think was – “not gonna happen.” She reached out to the girl, whose eyes were open but looking at nothing, and, just as Kara had done for her so recently, she somehow pulled her smaller frame underneath hers, wrapping her arms tightly round her. Then she closed her eyes and prayed.

\---

A flash of green distracted Kara as she brought James and Winn in to land, full of shame that she hadn’t been able to reach Kelly as well. But she had to concentrate on holding them carefully – not so tight they would be injured, but tight enough to hang on to them, and before she could turn to look properly there was a very definite and horrible thud.

“Looks like you missed one,” intoned Myriad-James. “There will be more.” Then he turned and started walking back inside with Winn.

Left alone with her failure, Kara began to slowly make her way over to Kelly. She’d only just begun to know the girl and now she had to mourn her. She almost leapt back up into the sky in shock when there was a sudden groan from beneath those tangled limbs – wait, why did Kelly have three arms?!

She sped over just as someone rolled Kelly over from underneath. A quick burst of X-ray told her that Kelly’s heart was still beating, her blood still pumping, her chest contracting, her skull fully intact – how?? Lying in a patch of broken concrete underneath her was “Ms Grant?!”

“Cat, Kara, please,” Cat coughed and pushed herself upright. Kara knelt beside her as she sat on the floor brushing dust off herself, and did the same check for her as for Kelly. “But, Cat, you’re, you’re fine! And Kelly’s fine! How are you even here – you – you’re both alright and you saved her!”

“We saved them, Supergirl,” Cat said with a slight hitch in her voice. “Somehow – I don’t really know what just happened. But it was definitely teamwork. That godforsaken forest did some good after all.”

This elicited a smile from Kara, and the hero pulled her hero into a hug as tight as she dared. After a moment’s hesitation (or was it shock?) Cat returned the favour, hugging more tightly than she would have thought possible. 

Emotion overwhelmed her and she realised suddenly that tears were pouring from her eyes. Her shoulders shook as she realised the enormity of what could have happened, and what had somehow just happened, and Cat held her while she sobbed.

Finally, finally, she was cried out and they released each other. Their hands remained clasped around each other’s wrists, though, and Kara saw that Cat had tears on her cheeks too.

“Kelly needs medical care,” Kara said finally, reluctant to break the moment. “And, and you…” she trailed off, unsure of how to finish.

“Yes,” Cat said, simply. “I think a talk’s long overdue, don’t you?”

Oh, definitely.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this in mind ever since I saw the Myriad episode and I thought: "What if Cat didn't need the earrings??" I'm glad we've finally got to this point!
> 
> Obviously I'm not finished yet - another chapter at least to go, and I'll try to post much more quickly this time. Thanks for reading and for your support.


	12. Breaking Through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the 8 month wait inbetween chapters. I haven't had a lot of time to write, but I'm determined to finish the story. Originally I was going to finish with one big chapter, but it's since been split up and... added to, somewhat. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this, despite the long break! You might need to re-read a bit of the previous story as this has taken me so long.

It was Cat who broke the moment when she suddenly remembered who was still up on the top floor of CatCo.

“Come on, Kara,” she hissed. “Max-”

Kara started upright, “Oh, Rao, Cat. Max, he – did he see?”

“I don’t know,” Cat groaned. Everywhere ached. But that was the least of their problems. Come on, hero,” she said, staggering to her feet and trying to fight off a sudden wave of dizziness. God, she was tired.

“Hey, take it slow,” Kara insisted, but Cat waved off her help.

“You need to get Kelly upstairs and make sure she’s really OK. I’ll make my own way back in.”

“I can take you both-”

“No, you can’t, and you know it. Kelly needs taking care of.” She knew it was unlike her to use an employee’s name not once but twice in one day, but goodness knew that young lady lying crumpled on the floor deserved it.

Kara reluctantly but carefully cradled the limp form of Kelly in her arms and looked up to the balcony. “Max is watching,” she said slowly. “I’ll go talk to him. Are you sure you can get to the elevator alright?”

“Of course I can,” Cat snapped, then immediately sighed and apologised. “Sorry. Whatever just happened, it… it took a lot out of me. The elevator will give me a bit of time to get myself together, and it’ll give _you_ a minute to come up with some wonderfully convincing excuse for me being down here instead of up there, I’m sure. If Max didn’t see the whole thing.”

Her hero gazed at her for a moment, trying to say more with her eyes than they’d ever said out loud, then nodded and gently lifted off with Kelly. Cat watched her go then staggered a little as she turned to make her way back inside. She shook her head to try to clear it, which she quickly regretted, and somehow made her way to her private elevator. She leaned heavily on the wall as she waited for it arrive. Why hadn’t she installed two of these damn things? Oh, right, because she was the only one who was supposed to use it. Wherever she was in the building, there the elevator was. Except for when she skipped the elevator altogether… she giggled, and that cleared her head. Cat Grant did not giggle. She cleared her throat instead.

The door pinged and she stepped gratefully inside, wishing she _did_ have superhearing and could tell what was going on upstairs. Mostly what she could hear at the moment was the pounding of her own blood in her head. She massaged her temples as the doors swished shut, and she rested her forehead on the cool, clean doors, concentrating on breathing. What was wrong with her?

When the door finally dinged open at the top she distantly heard raised voices, before her vision blurred and she gave in to darkness and the strong arms that caught her.

\---

Cat came to sometime later, and took a few moments to orient herself and remember what had happened - not that any of it made much sense. As she blinked her eyes into focus she felt the surprise all over again that she didn’t need her glasses at all. She was obviously in her office, and someone had carefully laid her on her own couch and pulled the cashmere blanket over her that she normally kept tucked away in her private bathroom. She knew who that would have been.

As she pulled herself upright, she spotted a second, far scruffier sofa that someone – and again she could guess who – had pulled into her office. Under another of Cat’s blankets was the prone form of Kelly. Cat dragged herself to her feet and staggered her way over to the shabby, definitely-not-chic sofa, stifling a groan. It seemed like every single muscle she had screamed at the movement.

Kelly had been tucked in with just as much care as Cat had been, and was gently propped up on a couple of cushions. Cat checked her temperature with the back of her hand and found she was perhaps a little warm but not worryingly so. Her face was sporting a couple of bruises and a bit of a graze on her cheek, but she was breathing steadily. She wondered where her bandage had gotten to, then her breath hitched as she realised it had probably blown away as the girl plunged towards the ground. The media mogul gently brushed a bit of hair back from the face of this woman she had – somehow – saved, and practically fell over backwards when Kelly suddenly sighed, shifted and then opened her eyes, blinking at Cat.

“Ms… Grant?” she asked, blinking owlishly.

Cat was too stunned to say anything and just gaped at her, hand outstretched.

Kelly seemed to gather herself suddenly and bolted upright when she realised where she was. Cat snatched her hand back at the same time. “Ms Gra-! Owwww. Ugh.” She rubbed gently at her head and shoulder. “Ms Grant, I’m so sorry, whatever I did, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how I got in here on on this… um, on this couch, but I swear Glenda and I just…” she trailed off as her boss just kept looking at her.

“Ms Grant?” Kelly tried again. “Um, Ms Grant, you haven’t said anythi – are you OK? What happened?”

That finally snapped Cat out of her shock.

“I’m fine,” she snapped, although to her embarrassment it came out a bit hoarse, and she cleared her throat. “I’m fine, but you… you- you’re alright? I mean, apart from the obvious wear and tear,” she somehow managed to gesture at all of Kelly as she said that, and was pleased she’d regained some of her usual manners.

Kelly did her best to hide her wince at that and sat more upright on the sofa, blanket pooling around her ankles. “Well, pretty much everything aches and I’m sure I remember a bandage and the hospital and-” her eyes widened as things began to come back to her, “What happened?! Ms. Grant, how did I get here? I mean, I remember banging my head in that storm and I came to at the hospital but then things are… kind of blurry…”

Kelly stared into the middle distance as she tried to piece together what had happened. Cat let her speak.

“I remember a – a – a, sound?” she didn’t sound too certain about it. “And everything felt sort of fuzzy. I knew I had to come here and I remember working and voices, but not what they said, and- Oh my God!”

Suddenly she leapt upright, wincing a bit at the sudden movement and tripping over the blanket. Cat lurched out of her way, frightened to hear what her red-headed employee had remembered, and not daring to say anything. She watched the emotions playing on Kelly’s face.

“Oh my God,” Kelly said again, stumbling towards the balcony. “I remember not really, uh, feeling anything. But something made me climb up here and-” this time Cat lurched _towards_ Kelly, just in time to catch the girl as her legs gave way. It took no effort at all to hoist her upright again, and she wondered vaguely at how light she felt. Perhaps she needed to pay her employees better if they were skimping on meals to get by.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Kelly just kept repeating, obviously horrified to have accidentally fallen on her boss. As if that was the worst she had done today.

“Here, come on, Keeley,” Cat muttered, and helped her back to the sofa, then grabbed an exquisite box of tissues from her desk and thrust them in the weepy girl’s direction from a safe distance.

“I don’t… I don’t understand,” Kelly was saying, as she wiped her eyes and possibly her nose. Her boss didn’t look too closely. “Everything is so out of focus. Like I was on something. But I remember being on your balcony – and I’m really sorry about that, by the way, Ms Grant,” Cat shook her head wordlessly at Kelly’s guilty expression.

“But I remember it seemed like a really good idea to just… fall,” Kelly choked out, and Cat forgot all of her principles and sat down beside the girl she saved, rubbing a soothing hand on her shoulder as she cried into Cat’s expensive tissues. “I didn’t feel anything!” Kelly sobbed. “I was falling and I knew I was going to hit the floor and I didn’t feel anything! What is wrong with me?!”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Cat tried to reassure her employee. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. It sounds so crazy, but everyone in the city’s been affected by some kind of Kryptonian mind control and they’re not in command of their own actions. Kelly,” and she turned the girl’s shoulder slightly to get her to look at her, “You didn’t decide to go up on that ledge. You were made to by some sick Kryptonian general who doesn’t give a tiny crap about any of us.”

Kelly sniffed into her tissues and started to pull herself together at her boss’s words. “If that’s true then why aren’t we affected now?” she asked.

“That’s a-” Cat stopped. She knew full well why _she_ wasn’t affected, but Kelly? “That’s a really good question,” she mused. “As well as a slightly long story involving Maxwell Lord and some sort of… inhibitor thingies,” Cat waved a hand absent-mindedly. “Oh,” she remembered a vital part of the story, “And Supergirl, of course,” and she watched Kelly’s face brighten perceptibly at the mention of National City’s own superhero.

“Supergirl?” Kelly dabbed at her eyes one final time and then dropped the tissues onto the floor. Cat wrinkled her nose in disgust but the red-head didn’t notice. “Was it Supergirl who saved me?” she asked, looking straight at Cat, whose heart sank.

“It… wasn’t Supergirl,” she said, watching Kelly’s expression carefully. “How much do you remember?” she asked the puzzled girl.

“Wasn’t Supergirl?” Cat just shook her head. Oh God. “Then how…? I mean, I remember someone caught me, and there was this… this light?” Cat was relieved at how uncertain Kelly sounded about that. “And we hit the ground pretty hard but I remember thinking it wasn’t as, um, hard as I expected…” she trailed into silence, looking into the distance again, obviously thinking hard.

“Sorry, that’s all I remember,” she said, finally, and Cat had never been so relieved. “But if it wasn’t Supergirl, then who was it?” she asked, turning back to her boss.

Cat felt her relief fly right away again. She got up from the couch, pacing slightly, and cleared her throat. “They… they don’t know,” she said finally. And that was just vague enough to be not entirely untrue. It didn’t entirely have the effect she intended.

“Another superhero?!” Kelly looked positively thrilled. “Wow, are you going to name them again, Ms Grant? Is it another woman?”

“They, er, they really don’t know anything yet,” Cat said again, and desperately tried to change the course of the conversation. “Perhaps the most important thing we should be asking ourselves is why we’re fine now, unlike the rest of my employees,” and she pointed out to the bullpen where her mindless drones were even more mindless than usual.

“What?” and Kelly stood again, a bit more carefully this time, and looked out into the bullpen. “Oh my God,” she said again, and made her way out to try to wake some of her friends. Cat let her, taking a few moments to ground herself again. Somehow she found herself by her crystal decanter, mercifully unharmed so far, and poured herself a stiff measure of Scotch, trying to ignore how much her hands were shaking. She downed half the drink in one, thankful for the burn in her throat that cleared the rest of her senses.

After a few moments, Kelly dashed back to her office, and Cat had to bite back a laugh as the girl hesitated at the door, clearly unsure of protocol at the moment, starting to knock and then just pushing open the door.

She still had it.

“Ms Grant, I can’t wake Glenda or James or any of the others. How long has this been going on,”

Cat realised she didn’t actually know what time it was. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve been out cold as well.”

Kelly, to her credit, immediately went and checked the time on the clocks outside Cat’s office. “It’s a bit after 5am,” she said. “We’ve been here all night?!”

“I guess we’ve both been out for a few hours then,” Cat answered. “It can’t have been much after 9 when you… when I saw…” embarrassingly she found she couldn’t continue, and turned away to down the rest of her Scotch.

“You, you saw what happened?” Kelly asked.

Cat nodded. “Most of it,” she said, still staring at anything but her employee.

 “Then did you see who caught me?” asked Kelly, eagerly.

“Not – not really,” Cat stuttered. Dammit, she never stuttered. “I mean-”

BOOOOOM.

“What was that?!” Kelly yelled, looking terrified.

The whole building shook to the sound of a dull explosion outside and both of them rushed to Cat’s balcony to see what was happening. They both leaned over to stare, and Cat’s hands shook as she gripped the edge. She told herself it was from shock, definitely not from relief.

“Is that – is that Supergirl?” Kelly pointed down at the distant figures.

“Mm.”

“But then, who’s that? And what- look out!”

THUNK!

Down on the street Supergirl was fighting someone else. It looked like a robot… no wait, a person wearing some kind of armour? There was an awful lot of glowing green though. That couldn’t be good. The building shook as Supergirl was bounced into the wall of CatCo. Maybe that was the cause of the first bang too.

Kelly shrieked and grabbed onto Cat’s arm, forgetting herself. “What’s going on?! How is that thing hurting Supergirl?”

Cat shrieked too at the unexpected contact, making Kelly shriek and start apologising all over again. Her boss just waved and shushed her, straining to hear anything of what was going on down in the street. Kelly shuffled a bit further away from her, just in case, and stared downwards as well. It was no good though, she could hear yells and painful-sounding thumps, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. Come on Kara, sort this out…

“Hey, hang on, is that someone else down there too?” Kelly was pointing again, and Cat craned her neck right over the edge of the balcony.

“You’re right. Is that two people?”

“Oh yeah, I can see now. Wow, you have good eyes, Ms Grant.”

“Mm,” said Cat distractedly. Her eyes were glued to the scene unfolding beneath them.

The unlikely pair watched, transfixed, as Supergirl took blow after blow, barely returning anything. There was a lot of shouting going on but no matter how much they strained they just couldn’t hear. Cat just couldn’t stand it.

“This isn’t good enough!” she shouted suddenly, slamming her hands onto the balcony edge and almost scaring Kelly right over the edge again. “Why isn’t she fighting back? She’s better than this!”

Kelly didn’t know what to say and just glanced at her nervously before focussing her attention back below.  Cat suppressed a growl. She needed to help, she needed to… she needed to calm down! She felt that strange buzz inside her again, and was horrified to see that in the dark a faint, eerie green glow was beginning around her. No, no! It couldn’t happen here! Calm down, calm down, calm down. But that’s _Kara_ down there.

Cat’s heart beat even faster and she felt the buzz growing even as she screwed her eyes shut and prayed Kelly hadn’t noticed yet.

“They’re taking it off!” a sudden yell from her left distracted her, and the buzz subsided.

“What sweet hell are you talking about – oh. Oh, yes, I see.”

And the green figure below was suddenly not green any more. There were a few loud clangs as bits of robotic armour hit the ground, and then Supergirl and the unknown person were embracing in the middle of the (empty) street. A moment later one of the other figures joined them.

“Is it finished? Did she win?”

“I don’t know,” Cat shook her head. In fact, all of her was shaking. So close. It had been so close…

“It looks like it’s over anyway. Ms Grant, do you think we should – Ms Grant? Ms Grant, are you ok?”

Cat was gripping onto the balcony like her life depended on it, and she couldn’t stop shaking.

“Okay, Ms Grant, I think you’re in shock. You just need to, erm, I think you’re supposed to have sugar. And a chair! Come on, I mean, please, Ms Grant, come with me,” and Cat let this girl she’d saved lead her gently by the arm back to the couch. She rested her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands for a moment, just concentrating on breathing again. All that Yoga and Pilates had to pay off somewhere. There was a bit of rattling in the background, and then Kelly was crouched next to her offering her a glass of her own M&Ms.

“I hope you don’t mind, Ms Grant,” she murmured. I’ve seen Kara fill it up a few times.

“Thank you,” Cat muttered, and crunched a handful of them, not caring how undignified this was. God, what was wrong with her?

“It’s probably the shock of everything,” Kelly said. “In fact, do you mind if I just-” Cat had enough of her wits about her to automatically slap away the hand that crept into her field of vision. “Get your own damn snack,” she snarled. Hm. Maybe the sugar actually was helping her feel more herself again.

She was surprised to hear some more rattling, and then realised Kelly had settled down next to her, happily munching on _her_ private supply of candy. Perhaps she’d been unfair when she’d called her “mousey” in the past. The girls had balls.

They sat in strangely companionable silence for a minute, just eating, until there was a very familiar _whoosh_ from the balcony. Cat turned automatically, but her greeting died on her lips when she saw the expression on Kara’s face. She looked haunted.

“Ms Grant. Kelly… I’m glad you’re both okay. I, uh, heard you up here and came to see if anyone else had woken up.”

Cat cleared her throat and tried to get back into character. “Supergirl, it’s about time you showed up. Took you long enough to sort out that mess down there. I assume you have a plan for what happens next?”

“Next?” Kara looked exhausted, Cat thought. “Not one that doesn’t involve thousands of people dying. We need to break the signal somehow, and I have a couple of people to help now but my cous- Superman, he… he got caught in this too.”

“What? Superman is being controlled by this?” Cat nearly dropped her candy. “But he’s Kryptonian! Surely he should be immune?”

Kara shrugged. “Non said it was to do with how long he’d been here. That he thinks like a human now. So, no help there.”

Kelly had sat motionless, staring at Supergirl this whole time. Suddenly she yelled, “You know my name?!”

Kara and Cat both jumped. “Sure I know your name, Kelly,” Kara said, but then obviously couldn’t think how to finish her sentence and just stood there, mouth working silently. Cat managed to not roll her eyes. Honestly, did Kara even _want_ a secret identity?

“It was Supergirl who saved you yesterday, Kelly, and made sure you got to the hospital in one piece. Don’t you remember?” Cat decided to save her.

“Oh!” Kelly now looked torn between hero-worship and embarrassment. “No. I, I was unconscious. I hadn’t heard what had happened yet. I don’t even really know how I got here. Um. Thank you?” she punctuated her words by sort of thrusting her half-empty glass of M&Ms towards her hero, almost as an apology.

Kara started again, then smiled. “Thanks!” she took a handful. “I haven’t eaten for… well, for a while.”

Right, that decided it. Cat now jerked to her feet, causing Kelly to fling the remaining candy into the corner of the room as she, too, leapt up. Cat decided ignoring this was prudent for now. “Well,” she said briskly. “That there is something we can fix right away.”

“What?”

“Kelly,” Cat talked over her currently caped assistant. “Go and find Supergirl something to eat. Anything. Something with lots of sugar. In fact, bring us all something to eat.”

“Oh, ok! Um, well, isn’t everywhere kind of closed because of the, er, brain thing?”

“Now Kelly! I don’t care if you have to leave an IOU!”

“Right, yes, okay! I’ll be, er, right back, ma’am. Ms Grant.” And she scurried off towards the employee lifts as though all the events of the last 24 hours had never happened.

When the lift slid shut behind her, Kara turned instantly to Cat. “Are you alright?” she asked? Cat finally let herself sag. Strong arms caught her instantly and sat her down on the couch.

“Thanks,” Cat smiled, then frowned. “What exactly happened out there just now? And what have I missed in the last few hours?”

“Uh, well, Alex kind of happened.”

“Alex. Your sister? I thought she was out of the picture for now.”

“You didn’t see?” Kara sounded surprised. “She came back with J’onn, er, Hank, and Eliza tonight. J’onn could protect Eliza’s mind but not my sister’s as well at the same time. Non was controlling her at first, like the others, but Eliza got through to her somehow. I couldn’t bring myself to…” she trailed off, and Cat suddenly understood and sat up again, whilst filing away “J’onn” for more questions later.

“Wait a moment, that was your sister you were fighting just now?”

“Yes, in a Kryptonite-powered suit.”

“Kryptonite?! Kara, are you okay?” Cat started checking her, turning her arms over to look for injuries beyond the scrapes and bruises she could already see. She was surprised to hear Kara chuckle weakly and looked up. “I’m so glad you care so much,” she said.

“Kara, of _course_ I care. Tell me what it did to you.”

“I’m fine.” She winced and corrected herself. “Okay, I’ll _be_ fine. Just a bit of time and sunshine is all I need. A few bumps and bruises. The effects of Kryptonite itself seem to wear off quite quickly, but the injuries I get while I’m affected take a bit longer.” She shook her head slightly, “But anyway, the main thing is that Alex is back! And Eliza, and they’re both unaffected now by Myriad.”

“Kelly’s also fine now,” said Cat. “In terms of sick brain control, anyway. Her fashion sense still leaves a lot to be desired.” She saw Kara smiled a bit at that. “And I’m fine too… although we know that might be for a different reason.”

“We’ll sort it out,” Kara said quietly. “Once all this is over we’ll get Alex onto it and she’ll help us figure out what’s happened to you.”

Cat wasn’t at all sure she wanted Kara’s sister involved at the moment. But that was a problem for another day, and she moved the conversation on. “So what’s this about a plan involving the deaths of thousands of people? You weren’t actually serious, were you?”

Kara explained Max’s idea of a Kryptonite bomb. Cat listened. As soon as Kara drifted into silence, though, she exploded.

“Have you lost all sense of reason?!” she yelled, leaping off the couch. “I thought you were the Defender of National City?”

“Cat, I am! Or I hope so, anyway.” Kara looked distraught at how she was reacting, but really, what did she expect?

“And total annihilation of swathes of the city is the best the two of you could come up with?!”

“ _I_ didn’t come up with it! This is all Max!”

“So, what did you suggest instead? Tell me you’re at least working on something?”

“No! I, Rao, Cat, I wish I was. But what alternative is there? We have to stop this before Non figures out how to increase the radius of Myriad to affect more and more people. Non has to be stopped!”

“At the cost of a third of the population of the city?!” Cat was stalking about the office now. “This isn’t you.”

“Cat, I know, but-”

“I can’t believe you’d even consider this for a second! This isn’t you!” she said again. “Lord knows I love you, but this is the stupidest, weakest plan you’ve ever considered going through with, and there have been some real contenders in the last few months, let me tell you! What?!”

She stopped mid-rant because Kara was simply standing there, gaping at her.

“What?” she insisted. But she didn’t get to say any more than before she had an armful of superhero. Kara was suddenly wrapped around her, so close, so warm, and the look in her eyes made Cat forget for now what it was she’d been shouting about. She felt dizzy all over again as Kara held her close, and forgot entirely that she was standing in her office, that the glass doors were just a few feet to her right, that her zombiefied staff were only a little further away than that. There was only Kara.

“What?” Cat said, a bit hoarsely this time, licking her suddenly dry lips. God, she was so close, and so _gorgeous_.

Kara looked deep into her eyes. “You love me?” she said softly.

Cat laughed nervously, suddenly realising what she’d said. “Kara, I…” but looking up into those deep blue eyes she just couldn’t finish her planned excuse for her slip up.

“Yes,” she whispered. And then decided to dive right in. “I’ve never been so certain of how I feel about anything. Anyone. Is that… alright?”

“Cat…” Kara whispered, and Cat’s breath hitched at the raw emotion contained in that one word. Her heart was pounding, her mouth was dry, and suddenly Kara made a move. Their lips met and _oh_ the world disappeared and all she knew was their kiss and the feel of Kara’s hands and arms around back and running through her hair. It was a gentle kiss, almost hesitant, and Cat was shocked at the tiny groan that escaped her. She couldn’t help it. She’d _dreamed_ of this, but never in a thousand years had she imagined it would happen. And certainly not like this!

Kara pulled back then, her hands gently on Cat’s shoulders. “Yes,” she said, looking at her with the most beautiful half smile she’d ever seen. Her cheeks were flushed and Cat felt like a giddy teenager knowing she’d gotten Supergirl all flustered.

“What?” said Cat, firmly on planet Kara and trying to gather her scattered thoughts again.

“Yes, it’s alright.”

“Oh. Good. That’s good you-”

“And I love you, Cat.” Kara said it in a rush, like she just had to get it out. The planet stopped turning again for a moment and this time it was Cat who pulled Kara in, who stumbled as she tugged her back for another kiss, deeper this time.

They stayed like that, lost in each other, until suddenly Cat’s self-awareness snapped back to her and she pulled back, thumping Kara on her shoulder.

“Hey!” Kara looked startled but was also laughing as she rubbed her shoulder. “What was-”

“We can’t ever do this here!” Cat hissed, quickly checking no one had woken up from their stupor to spy on them. “And definitely not with you all super-ed up!”

“Ah, um, sorry,” Kara was sheepish now, and _God_ that was an adorable expression on Supergirl _– no_! Focus!

“I don’t know what came over me,” Kara blushed, “You just… took me by surprise and with everything that’s going on I thought…” but she trailed off.

“You thought what?”

“Sieze the day?” she said, hopefully. Oh, she was just so cute.

“How unlike you, Kara! I like decisive Kara,” Cat grinned, leaning back on the arm of her designer sofa.

“Do you now?”

“Ha, stop trying to distract me,” Cat tried to ignore how hot she was suddenly feeling. “This idea of yours – okay, of Max’s – is still ridiculous. What are we going to do about it?”

“We?” Kara smiled at that, but then quickly frowned. “Well, Alex, J’onn and Eliza are working on some kind signal disruptor, but without more help that could take days, and that’s only a partial fix – half the city would still be affected by Myriad. Eliza was able to reach Alex somehow, to get through to her under the white noise of Myriad. She said she suddenly felt there was hope in the craziness in her head and she kind of…” she waved her hands vaguely, “followed it back to, uh, to sanity. But that was just one person.”

“Hm.” Cat felt the beginnings of an idea. “Let me think on that.” She was staring down at the floor, deep in thought, so she startled when Kara stood next to her and gently touched her elbow.

“Cat, I need to tell you something else,” she said softly.

“What? Not more life and death drama, surely? I’m trying to think here, Kara.”

“No, it’s important. Before, er, after we, er…”

“Mmhm?” Cat couldn’t hide her smirk. She was enjoying dragging this out.

“Well, I felt – I could feel-”

DING!

They leapt away from each other as if burnt. Kara adopted what Cat liked to think of as her “hero pose”, arms crossed and feet shoulder-width apart. Cat hurriedly rearranged her smirk into “disappointed boss face” as Kelly ran back out from the elevator.

“Ms Grant! Supergirl! Are you still here?”

“In here, Kelly!” Kara called, moving to open the door for Kelly, who had her arms laden down with snacks.

“Wow, great haul!” Kara’s eyes were like saucers looking at all the sugary and fatty snacks. “You’ve got all my favourites here! Where did you get them?”

“I have?” Kelly looked delighted. “Oh, Ms Grant’s assistant has this secret stash behind a loose panel in the store room on the floor below. She thinks no one knows about it, but we all do. We take it in turns raiding it and sharing the snacks out between us when Kara’s out on some errand or other. She’s quite often out. We always replace them!” she said quickly, entirely misinterpreting the shocked look on Kara’s face. “It’s not like stealing! I know exactly what I’ve taken, and I’m sure Kara would understand. Life and death, you know?”

Cat was trying really hard not to laugh.

“Yes,” Kara finally said, weakly. “I’m sure she’d understand.”

“Okay, well dibs on the Oreos!” Kelly called, “Uh, that is, unless you want those?” she amended, gallantly offering her favourite to Supergirl.

A few minutes and several snacks later, Kelly excused herself to go check on her friends in the bullpen “in case there’s been any change.”

Kara and Cat watched her go, sadly, knowing that there would be none.

Cat crumpled up the wrapper of the entire packet of cookies she’d just eaten, trying not to feel disgusted at herself. “Ugh, what is wrong with me? That’s a week’s worth of salad and yoga right there!”

Kara laughed gently. “Don’t be too hard on yourself! You haven’t eaten since yesterday lunchtime, have you? And I bet that whatever happened earlier with Kelly took a lot of energy. You’re just replacing it. And I’ve eaten way more than you,” she gestured at the vast pile of wrappers in front of her.

“Yes, but you’re you,” Cat gestured at Kara, trying not to be too familiar while Kelly was around, “And I have an image to maintain.”

Kara just laughed again as Cat went to wash her hands. When she came back, the hero was wearing a much more serious expression.

“Cat,” she said, quietly and urgently. “About before-”

“MS GRANT! SUPERGIRL! COME QUICK!”

They rushed out to where Kelly was clutching her phone and pointing at Glenda.

“What is it? Is everyone alright?” Kara asked, looking scared.

“Yes! I mean, no, obviously not right now, but look what happened!” She thrust her phone towards Supergirl, with a video paused on the screen.

Kara took it gingerly and looked at the picture, then back at Kelly. “What am I looking at?”

“Oh, right.” Kelly reached over and started the video, and Cat was surprised to hear her own voice coming out of the tinny speakers.

_“Keep your tiny head DOWN soldier!”_

“Give me that!” Cat made a grab for the phone but Kara held her back effortlessly. On the screen, their CEO crouched behind a low wall, yelling and waving a paint rifle at someone off screen.

_“Didn’t you hear ANYTHING that dictatorial tree-hugger told us? Wait for your team-mates to get in place! Now GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW or so help me- wah!”_

The picture wobbled and it became apparent that James had dragged Cat back down underneath the wall as paint splattered behind them. _“Teamwork, right?”_ said James’s deep voice.

Then the scene changed. Now it was full of laughter and splashing. Cat recognised Kelly splashing underneath a half-finished bridge while Kara and several others reached down with different sticks and oars to help her out.

Then it changed again, and now it was full of staff members Cat rarely spoke to, laughing and drinking and smiling in the candlelit dining hall of Carraway Forest. Another shift, and James and Winn posed for a selfie with their paint guns before being shot from behind by laughing friends.

“Look!” Kelly suddenly pointed at Glenda again as the video continued.

Cat frowned.

“What exactly am I…” then she saw it. Glenda had stopped typing.

“Kelly…” Kara breathed. The hero floated up off the floor slightly to look around at everyone else in the office. Kelly shut her gaping mouth when she saw Cat’s glare.

“She’s right!” Kara floated back to earth. “Everyone else is still typing, but Glenda here-”

The video stopped. Glenda sort of jerked and then got back to work at the alien symbols flashing across her screen.

“Where did you get this video?” Kara asked. “No, never mind. Kelly, can you stream this to all the staff?”

Kelly had a strange look on her face. “Yes, er, I’m sure I’ve seen Winn do it before…Uh…”

Kelly rushed over to her empty station and started up a couple of programmes tapping at her phone at the same time. Cat and Kara glanced at each other while she worked.

“Winn made it,” Kelly said over her shoulder.

“I’m sorry?” said Kara. “Winn. The guy over there.” She pointed with her chin. “He collected lots of video from everyone at the team building weekend we were just on. He emailed it round us all on the bus home. I hadn’t seen it before now.”

Kara glanced at Cat again. She wasn’t sure why Kelly was telling them all this. She sounded kind of… off. “It sounds like a great weekend,” said Kara, carefully.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Kelly replied.

Kara shot an alarmed look at Cat, who tried to interrupt her employee.

“Kelly, perhaps you should-”

“How do you know Glenda’s name?” Kelly said abruptly, turning to face Supergirl.

“What?” Kara was thrown.

“You’ve never met her before.” Kelly looked hurt. “How do you know her name?”

Kara stood there like a rabbit in the headlights, so Cat stepped forward.

“Kelly,” she said gently, “Supergirl rescued both of you yesterday. She spoke with Glenda for some time, while you were unconscious. Well, once Glenda was feeling better, she did, anyway.”

Kara wrinkled her nose at the memory and Kelly noticed. “Oh.” Was all she said. Then she turned back to her computer and typed another couple of lines before hitting return with a flourish. Cat didn’t dare look at Kara again.

“There! Winn showed me once how to make things autoplay when I was trying to prank Sharon in marketing with a stripo- never mind.”

Cat had definitely underestimated this seemingly quiet woman.

Sure enough, a moment later all the screens in the office began streaming Winn’s video. Even Cat smiled as she relived the weekend through different people’s eyes. Kara, she noticed, was doing her best to maintain a politely interested expression.

The video was about 3 minutes long, and even Cat laughed at Kara hanging upside down in her webbing up in the tree canopy and having to be untangled by Kelly and James.

Slowly, the noise of typing stopped. “It’s working!” Kelly shouted, and Kara laughed giddily. Cat shushed them both and they each clamped a hand over their mouths as Cat rolled her eyes. Then it was her turn to put a hand over her own mouth as she watched a clip, obviously shot through the bus window, of Kara and the boys lifting her Porsche. Glenda twitched next to her, and Cat hardly dared breathe.

Finally, the film moved to a section of James leading singing on the bus on the way home, and everyone laughing as they tried to sing some ridiculous camping song in parts. And then Cat heard a voice from behind her.

“Supergirl?”

The three women spun round and saw Winn getting shakily to his feet looking around him.

“Supergirl?” they heard from across the room, and this time it was Ed shaking his head and looking around him.

“Supergirl?”

“Supergirl?”

“Kelly!”

“Ms Grant?”

The video ended and everyone stared at each other in stunned silence.

“Aaaagh!” Kelly screeched from behind them and grabbed Glenda, spinning her round. You’re alright!”

Cat clutched her chest and Kara sank back down to the floor from the ceiling where she’d risen in shock at Kelly’s outburst. The whole room was filled then with noise as everyone asked each other what had happened, how had they got here, what was _Supergirl_ doing here, and (from Winn) “What the hell’s happened to my screensaver?!”

“It worked!” Kara laughed at Cat. Then she turned to Kelly and Glenda again. “Kelly, how did you know this would work? What even happened?”

“I don’t really know,” she said, plonking herself down in Glenda’s chair while her friend (or whatever) ogled Supergirl. “I just knew that Glenda could hear the video. She reacted to it. I swear she was trying to laugh. Maybe because it was a shared memory? A good memory? Something she could trust?”

“Something she could trust…” Cat murmured.

“I don’t really know,” Kelly finished. “But it worked!”

“It worked!” Kara laughed and agreed. “It’s brilliant, Kelly!” her colleague glowed under the praise, her earlier suspicions seemingly forgotten.

“But now how do we replicate this for the whole city?”

Kara’s face fell again as she looked around her.

“Something she could trust…” Cat murmured again, and Kara looked at her.

Cat smiled. “I might have an idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise to try to update the next chapter much more quickly, but it will take me a few weeks at least if I'm honest. I hope you feel it's worth the wait.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who's encouraged me while I've been away by leaving occasional comments or kudos. You kept me determined to finish this! The end is in sight...


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